The Sister Who Lived
by sweethearts together
Summary: Have you ever wondered what would happen if Harry had siblings? Harry's first year at Hogwarts brings some challenges but his older sister, Grace will always be there for him. She has some adventures of her own and assists Harry in defeating the Voldemort for the first time.
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hi! This is my first ever fanfiction so bear with me. The idea came to me when I was having a Harry Potter marathon with my friends. It's going to be pretty long and I'll update as much as possible. Reviews are greatly appreciated. **

Prologue

Grace Potter curled next to her little brother in his crib. Harry was standing, trying to look over the bars. Their mother, Lily Potter lay on the ground and Grace couldn't understand why she wasn't moving. She couldn't hear her father downstairs; had he gone somewhere?

Harry's nursery was quiet, dead quiet. Grace tried to remember what happened. She remembered her father screaming for mother to run. Grace had run upstairs with Harry and their mother had put them in his crib. Footsteps could be heard on the stairs.

"Mummy loves you. Daddy loves you. Be brave Harry. Be strong Gracie," was the last thing Grace's mother said to her. Then the door burst open.

Grace couldn't hear what the dark man was saying but he pointed a wand at her mother. Grace cried out as a flash of green light lit up the room. Lily Potter fell to the ground. The wand pointed at Harry, whose smile had fallen. After that Grace couldn't remember much; only an explosion and the man falling backwards, sweeping out of the room. She just curled up to her brother and waited for her mother to get back up.

Hours passed before a shadow crossed the door. A huge man, the size of a giant stood in the doorway. His hands were the size of dustbin lids and the shoes were like small boats. He had a wild mass of long black hair and beard; both contained teardrops falling from his crinkly beetle eyes.

The man scooped Grace and Harry up in arms the size of tree trunks.

"C'mon we'll get you two out of here," he said with a sob.

"Mummy?" Grace called over the man's shoulder as they walked out of there.

No reply came. Grace let her head fall onto the man's shoulder, clutching Harry's hand as tight as she could.

**A/N Okay I know this is really short but it just lets you know what happened that night in Grace's eyes. I also know it's kinda sad but was it alright? Please review! **


	2. The Letter than the Visitor

**A/N: Wow a got a review about an hour after I posted the prologue. Thanks so much MrsSeverusSnape97! I thought since that was only a prologue I'd try to get the first chapter up as soon as possible. So here it is!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or any of the characters, except for Grace Potter. They belong respectively to J.K Rowling, who is in my mind a queen. **

Chapter 2: The Letter than the Visitor

It's been seven years since the night of Lily and James Potter's deaths. Their children, Harry and Grace lived safely yet not happily at 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging with the Dursleys. Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and Dudley were horrible people. Harry slept in the cupboard under the stairs and Grace slept under a low-lying shelf in the laundry. Both did constant chores, putting up with their bullying cousin the whole time. The sun burned bright on that late June morning. It was Monday which meant a new week of horrors in the school holidays.

"Up! Up!" Aunt Petunia banged on the door to the laundry. "Get up!"

Grace jerked upright at the knocks, thumping her head on the hard wood of the shelf above. Groaning and rubbing her head she slipped out from her thin blankets to pull on tattered clothes folded in a box under the bed. Downstairs ruckus took over. Dudley and Uncle Vernon were yelling for Harry to hurry up with breakfast. Aunt Petunia was racing around trying to calm her Ickle Duddykins.

"Oi, Girl, get the mail," Uncle Vernon ordered at Grace, his moustache flopping up and down as he talked.

Sighing she continued down the hall and stooped to pick up the pile of letters at the front doorstop. The mirror across the hall portrayed a girl, about ten, with long blazing red hair and dark hazel eyes. Grace was determined which showed in the way she held her bony shoulders and thin, delicate frame. She started to sift through the letters, nothing much, just a few bills and a postcard from one of Aunt Petunia's friends, when a strange-looking envelope stopped her. It was thick, yellowing paper sealed with was. On the seal was a small emblem of a lion, an eagle, a badger and a serpent surrounding an ornate H. The other side of the envelope said, in green, curly writing:

Ms Grace Lily Potter

The Laundry

4 Privet Drive

Little Whinging

Surrey

It couldn't be right. No one has ever written to Grace in her whole life. Glancing over her shoulder to make sure her relatives weren't watching, she slipped her long nails under the seal and prised it open. The letter was folded stiffly made of the same paper as the envelope. Grace started to read, curiosity threating to take over.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore.

(Order of Merlin, First class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Ms Potter

We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on the 1st of September. We await your owl by no later than the 31st of July.

Yours Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress.

Grace sat in shock. The letter was a rude hoax, right? Now that she thought about it some strange things did happen around her. There was that time when her hair flashed purple all day, or when Dudley and his gang had somehow fallen headfirst into a puddle of mud across the road when they were chasing Harry and, best of all, was the time on Harry's birthday when the Dursley's disappeared and left a pile of food in their wake. Aunt Petunia had yelled at her all day for the hair incident, saying that it was a monstrosity and that no sane girl should walk around with hair that colour. Of course, Dudley had thought Harry had tripped all of them over so he got beaten up that afternoon. There was nothing Grace could do stop him. Strangely the Dursleys didn't even recall anything happening on Harry's birthday.

"You!" Uncle Vernon yelled his footsteps right up the hallway. "Where is my mail?"

Grace jumped out of her thoughts and stared accusingly up at her uncle. He might have known about this or her parents might have mentioned something before they died.

"What are you reading?" he sneered in her face. "No one ever gives _you_ letters."

Suddenly he saw the writing and the print across the top. Grace folded the letter over hiding it before her uncle had one of his stress attacks. From the looks of things she was already too late. Uncle Vernon's eyes were bulging and his skin went from red, to green, to puce, to a pale colour like stale porridge.

"Right," he said barely keeping his voice in check. "Up to your room now!"

"But-" Grace begun.

"Now!" Uncle Vernon yelled. He pulled her up by hair while she screamed and dragged her up the stairs and into her room, where he slammed the door and locked it. Harry and Dudley peered curiously out from the kitchen to see what all the fuss was about. Uncle Vernon kicked them out of the kitchen, slamming the door, to have a private word with Petunia.

Back in her dimly lit room, Grace thought over what happened. The letter was clutched tightly in her hands, both of which were shaking from shock. She couldn't make sense of what just happened. It all confused her too much. Even through the thick floors she could hear uncle Vernon yelling at Harry and Dudley, even at Petunia. Only something really terrible could have her uncle yell at his little tyke. What exactly was this 'hogwarts?' Could it really be a school of witchcraft and wizardry?

Hphphphphphphphphphphphphphp 

Just over a month had passed since Grace received the letter. All the time she was in her room, only to be let out for bathroom breaks. Food was delivered up to her. Grace kept herself busy doing the washing all day and passing it out when she got her dinner. Whenever she tried to ask about what happened, why she was in her room, why she couldn't talk to Harry; the door was shut in her face.

Grace began to lose hope that it really was a school of magic. The letter lay crumpled in the corner of her room.

That is until one day that Uncle Vernon took the boys out shopping for the new school year. For Harry this just meant getting out of the house so Aunt Petunia can clean without him getting in the way.

Aunt Petunia was dressed in a flowery apron and rubbery gloves, scrubbing hard at the kitchen bench. A loud knock sounded at the door; well you could say it was more like a bang. Petunia stuck her horsey neck into hallway to see who it could be. Her pale green eyes widened at the enormous shadow behind the glass door.

"It couldn't be. . ." Petunia whispered, frightening herself.

More knocks sounded on the door. Up in her room, Grace wondered why her aunt wasn't answering the door.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Petunia edged towards the door. With shaking hands she twisted the knob and inched the door open.

In the doorway stood a giant of a man. He towered over the frame of the door, casting a shadow down over the tiny Petunia. A moleskin coat the size of a tent was snug around his thick body. There was a wild mass of curly hair and beard, close to hiding the wrinkly black eyes.

" 'Ello there," the giant rumbled. "I came to take Grace shopping for her school supplies."

His voice rumbled up through the house into Grace's room. She jerked upright when she heard her name and that she was going shopping for school supplies. Maybe that meant that the letter was telling the truth.

"She is NOT going to that school for freaks!" Aunt Petunia shrieked.

"And what's a great muggle like you going to do to stop me?" the giant replied. He then proceeded on thumping his way up the stairs, leaving Aunt Petunia in shock.

He arrived at the door to the laundry and, without warning, pushed it open, breaking the lock and handle. Grace stared, open-mouthed at this man who had just come into the house and broken the lock on her door. If it wasn't for the happiness in seeing her horrid aunt scared and the prospect of getting out of this hell-hole then she would be terrified.

"Ello Gracie. You look just like Lily," he said. "Except for the eyes, you've got your father's eyes."

"W-Who are you?" Grace stuttered.

"Oh righ'," he apologized, looking down at the ground. "Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."

"Hi," Grace breathed in shock. So someone had come for her.

"Well yer ready to go then, got yer bag?"

"Grace Potter," her aunt's shrill shriek came from the downstairs hallway. "If you leave this house to go be a freak, then you will not be allowed back in."

"Fine!" Grace yelled. "I'll go but mark my words I'll come back for Harry. I won't leave him with you."

With that she gathered her few personal belongings into a small suitcase, tossed some clothes into it and marched out the door, past a bewildered Hagrid and firm Aunt Petunia.

**A/N: So how was it? A bit of shock there right? Please review! Grace gets to see Diagon Alley next! **


	3. New Friends

**A/N: Well I was going to update a lot this week because we don't have school and I don't work much. This chapter is where most of the other OCs come in. Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter; the magic belongs to J. K. Rowling. **

Chapter 2: New Friends

"Hagrid," Grace panted as they walked down the sidewalk. "How exactly are we getting to um . . . wherever we're going?"

"Well there's a train station up the road, we'll take the train into London."

Grace and Hagrid turned down a busy Surrey street. They had been walking for about half an hour making Grace was quite tired. Especially since she had to lug her suitcase with her as well.

"Where do you get magical school supplies?" Grace asked.

"In London if ya know where ta go," Hagrid replied, tapping his nose.

Soon they arrived at the entrance to an underground train entrance. Stares were thrown at Hagrid for his size. He didn't even seem to notice. After purchasing their tickets and showing Hagrid how to get through the ticket barriers, Grace sat down nervously on the edge of her plastic seat. She didn't know what to expect.

"Only one more stop to go," Hagrid said cheerfully after another half hour, counting off the stops on the map.

At the last stop they got off the train, up the stairs and into the sunlight. Walking through a bustling street of shop, Grace couldn't believe that any thing around here was magical. There were clothes stores, convenience stores and cafes. Grace stared round in wonder, thinking that there surely couldn't be a shop of spell books and magic wands nearby. Suddenly Hagrid stopped at a small grubby looking pub.

"Here it is," Hagrid announced. "The Leaky Cauldron, it's a famous place."

"What's so famous about it?" Grace questioned in disbelief. If Hagrid hadn't pointed it out, she wouldn't have even noticed it. People's eyes seemed to slide from the third-hand bookshop to the record store on the other side.

"You'll see," Hagrid replied with a knowing smile.

Hagrid led her to the inside of the pub, which wasn't much better. It was dimly lit and shabby. The tables and bar were made of a rough wood that looked like it had seen many days before. Crowding around the room were people of all ages, races, shapes and sizes. There was something about the place though. Just a feel in the air. It could have come from the way everybody stopped and stared as Harry and Grace made their way in. Or the drinks that floated over the costumers. Or the burning fireplace in the corner that cast deep shadows but burned warm air into the pub. Whatever it was the place felt magical.

"The usual Hagrid?" a wizened old man behind the bar asked.

"Not this time Tom," Hagrid replied. "Off to get Ms Potter here some school supplies."

Hagrid guided Grace through the pub, ignoring the whispers that could be clearly heard.

"Looks just like Lily," one murmured.

"Got James' mischievous eyes," another said.

Grace eyed the room wondering if the people could possibly be talking about her.

Hagrid stepped out into a small brick room with a couple of bins behind the pub. Pulling out his pink umbrella he tapped a brick three above and two across from the second bin three times.

"Stand back a bit," he said with a twinkle in his eyes. The bricks were moving apart seamlessly forming an archway in the wall. Behind that archway a wide street meandered along, shops on either side displaying their wares. Vendors on the street were selling foods that Grace had never heard of but sounded delectable. She walked forwards after Hagrid in awe of her surroundings.

"Hagrid, I can never afford anything here," Grace remarked.

"Don' worry bout it," He replied. "That's what we're going to Gringotts for."

"What's Gringotts?" Grace asked curiously.

"It's our bank," Hagrid said. "Wizard bank."

Just when Grace thought everything was really weird a speck of normalcy appeared. Wizards having banks. Who would have thought?

Towering over the street was a tall marble building that overshadowed everything else. Grace and Hagrid drew level with the building's polished bronze door and the guards wearing uniforms of scarlet and gold. Both were small little creatures, with long fingers and a smart scary face.

"Hagrid, what are they?" Grace questioned as one of the creatures bowed for them.

"That," Hagrid said "is a goblin."

On the inside of the bronze doors was a pair of silver doors. Engraved elegantly into the doors were the words:

_Enter, stranger but take heed_

_Of what awaits the sin of greed,_

_For those who take but do not earn,_

_Must pay most dearly in their turn,_

_So if you seek beneath our floors_

_A treasure that was never yours,_

_Thief, you have been warned beware,_

_Of finding more than treasure there._

"Safest place Gringotts," Hagrid stated. "Except perhaps Hogwarts."

The doors swung open to reveal a long hall. Two counters ran down the walls, goblins sitting behind them. They counted funny looking gold pieces, weighed them and inspected them under magnifying glasses. Hagrid approached one goblin, who was testing small silver pieces with a hammer. He cleared his throat.

"Ms Grace Potter wishes to enter her vault." Hagrid announced.

"And does Ms Grace Potter have her key?" the goblin questioned. Grace gulped at the dark cold eyes.

"Er yeah," Hagrid said while rummaging in the pockets of his giant coat. "Got it right here."

Hagrid passed a tiny gold key over the counter top. The goblin studied it for second before calling, "Tentel" Another goblin came forward from within the depths. He gestured for Grace and Hagrid to follow him. Partway along the hall we passed a portly man spinning a green bowler cap.

"Hagrid," the man nodded at him as they passed.

"Minister, nice to see you out and about," Hagrid replied.

"Who's that?" Grace asked.

"He's the minister for magic, Cornelius Fudge." Hagrid said. "Not a very good one though, keeps askin' Dumbledore for advice on how to keep things runnin'. Dumbledore was offered the job, o' course, he just always preferred teaching.'

"What's the ministry of Magic do?" Grace wondered aloud as they passed through large wooden doors to enter a dark tunnel.

"Mostly keep magic hidden from the muggles, and stop magical criminals. They're in charge of all sorts of things. Now can you not ask me questions when we're on the cart its best to keep me mouth shut?"

Tentel led them onto a small cart that was supported on tracks above a gap that spanned miles down miles down. As soon as they were sitting, and without warning, the cart took off at top speed. Grace couldn't keep track of all the turns that they took. One left, two rights, or maybe two more left. The walls hurled by in the darkness. After a good ten minutes or so the cart lurched to stop. Tentel climbed out and hooked the lantern from the cart onto a pillar standing nearby. Hagrid stepped out gingerly, looking somewhat green.

Tentel inserted the gold key into a lock on a vault door in front of them. The door swung back revealing pile upon pile of gold, silver and bronze coins. Grace gasped, walking through the mounds of coins.

"Right," Hagrid started, scooping different coins into a leather pouch. "The gold ones are Galleons. Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle. Knuts are the little bronze ones. That should be enough for a while now. "

On the way back on the cart Hagrid looked even worse than before. The skin showing through his beard was pale and his giant hands were shaking. He stumbled out of the cart at the end mumbling something about a good drink to feel better.

While sitting down in the Leaky Cauldron, waiting to for the Hagrid to regain the colour in his cheeks, Grace opened up the envelope that her Hogwarts letter came in and noticed a second piece of paper. On the paper she found what appeared to be her school supplies list. She read:

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY_

_Uniform_

_First year students will require:_

_Three sets of plain work robes (black)_

_One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_

_One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_

_One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)_

_Please note all pupils' clothes should carry name tags_

_Set Books_

_All students should have a copy of each of the following._

The Standard Books of Spells (Grade 1) _by Miranda Goshawk_

A History of Magic _by Bathilda Bagshot_

Magical Theory _by Adalbert Waffling_

A Beginner's guide to Transfiguration _by Emeric Switch_

One Thousand Magic Herbs and Fungi _by Phyllida Spore_

Magical Drafts and Potions _by Arsenius Jigger_

_Other Equipment_

_1 wand_

_1 cauldron (Pewter, standard size 2)_

_1 set glass or crystal phials_

_1 telescope_

_1 set brass scales_

_Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad_

_PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMS_

After reading the word parents a thought occurred to Grace.

"Hagrid," Grace began. "If my parents were really magical then how did they really die?"

"Ye never knew how yer parents died?" Hagrid questioned.

"Aunt Petunia never liked talking about her sister," Grace stated. "She just said it was her own fault mum died and that Harry and I were dumped on her door."

"That horrible woman never told ye what happened?" Hagrid thundered "It's an outrage! A scandal!" A couple seated near them looked up at his loud voice. Quite a few people were noticing as well.

"Well then how did they die?" Grace persisted.

"I'm not sure it's my place to tell ye this Gracie," Hagrid said. "But I'll tell ye this. Not all wizards are good. Some go bad. There was one that went as bad as they could go. His name I well yer goin' to have ter ask someone else. I can't say it. Well anyway You-Know-You started gathering his followers, got a real big army too. Yer parents fought him and went into hiding. Somehow he found em. He killed yer dad and yer mum then went on to killin' yer brother. But something stumped him. He couldn't kill Harry when he was jus' a baby. That's why yer famous. Yer brother defeated the most powerful dark wizard of all time when he was jus' a baby."

"Where is You-Know-Who now?" Grace whispered.

"Gone. Vanished," Hagrid said. "Codswallop in my opinion. Nah he'll be back, he's jus' bidin' his time."

"Hagrid, where am I going to go now?" Grace murmured, barely heard.

"Well bout tha. Since yer aunt won't let ye back in yer goin' to be stayin' with one o' the nicest families I know. They've got a girl goin' to Hogwarts this year too. Now we best be off. Got lots to buy."

They proceeded back through the archway. Their first stop was Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, where Grace got fitted for her plain black school robes. Grace's favourite place was the bookshop, Flourish and Botts. She could get lost in here forever with all of the books, new and old. Hagrid had to drag her away after finding a section on wizard fiction and poetry.

Their last stop was to get a wand.

The wand shop was shabby and worn with the look of being open for many years. Stamped above the door in gold lettering was _Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC. _

"I'll jus' wait outside then," Hagrid said.

Grace glanced back at him nervously as she entered the shop. Along the walls and behind the counter, even in the open store room, were many full shelves of long thin boxes. The man behind the counter was handing over one of these thin boxes to another eleven year old. Mr Ollivander had fluffy white hair, a wrinkled but wise face and small spectacles which he peered over as the boy left.

"And who have we here?" he asked.

"Grace Potter," I stammered.

"Ahh Miss Potter, I was wondering when I would be seeing you in here. I remember every wand I ever sold and I remember your parents." He spoke in soft voice.

"Really?" Grace said. "You remember my mum and dad?"

"Yes Ms Potter," he replied. "They were both very eager for their wands and as much as you're trying to hide it you are too."

Mr Ollivander darted around the shop handing her all sorts of wands, thin, thick, short, long, some with elegant handles, some plain. He got her to wave them all but at the last second tore each one from her hand. Finally he pulled out a pale brown box from the shelf closest to the door. He handed Grace an equally pale wand that was smooth and had nothing remarkable apart from two dark bands around one end.

"English Oak and Unicorn, Ten and Three Quarter Inches, Slightly Unyielding," the man murmured to himself as he handed it over.

A feeling of power came over Grace, stemming from this stick of wood that felt like an extension to her hand. It was nothing like she'd ever felt before. This was definitely the wand for her.

Outside in the sunlight, Hagrid stood holding her cauldron with all of her books and robes in it.

"Got everything?" he asked as Grace stepped out with her money bag feeling slightly lighter than before. They strode down the street back through the pub and onto the Muggle street.

"Hagrid, how are we getting to this wizarding family?" Grace asked, panting as she tried to keep up with Hagrid.

"Well they only live a few streets over," Hagrid replied. "Bu' we'll stop fer a bite to eat firs'."

Hagrid and Grace sat down on the side of the street eating large hamburgers and milkshakes. It was such a delicacy being able to eat however much she wanted of whatever she wanted. The sun beat down on them as they stood to continue walking.

They walked down a couple more streets until they were in a suburb full of cosy houses. Eventually they turned onto Eve Street and walked up to number eleven. Hagrid walked through the trees up a little path. A cat sat in one of the trees staring down at the. It was a white cat with black and brown patches scattered all over it. The house was nice. It was two stories, made of brick and the window just to the right of the door showed a nice looking kitchen. Out the front on the gravel driveway was a plain black car, covered with dust and dirt. It looked like it was never used.

The front door opened up to reveal a plump woman with glasses, dark brown hair that went just to her shoulders and a very happy smile.

'Well if it isn't Hagrid?" the lady smiled. "What have I got the pleasure of seeing you here for?"

"Hello Yvette," Hagrid said. "Just come to ask you for a favour."

"Anything for you," Yvette replied.

"Well this 'ere is Miss Grace Potter," Hagrid showed her pulling Grace in front of him. "Grace, meet Yvette Heathridge. We jus' went school shopping fer her an' her horrid aunt kicked us out."

"Well she can stay with us if that's what you're asking," Yvette said, reading Hagrid's thoughts. "Come in, come in."

Yvette ushered them inside. The first room was a couch and cabinet connected to a small kitchen before opening up to a large room with a fireplace and table. A hallway wove off to the right and to the left there was a steep staircase. Loud shouts drifted down the stairs.

"Miranda! George!" Yvette hollered up the stairs. "Come down here now. Please, Grace, make yourself at home. Hagrid, would you like a drink?"

"No," Hagrid declined. "I'd best be getting off, I'll jus' use the fireplace if tha's alrigh'." He wandered through the room and after a flash he was gone.

Grace lowered herself onto a comfy leather couch as Yvette waved her wand. The entire laundry that was previously littered around the room flew itself into a washing basket, which promptly hovered off down the hall. Splashes and scrubbing could be heard as if someone was cleaning the clothes.

Footsteps sounded as two kids came down the stairs.

"George!" a girl's voice said. "Don't just stop right in front of me!"

Two kids emerged from the staircase, a boy and a girl.

The girl was about the same height as Grace, if not taller. She had a round face with square glasses covering her beautiful hazel eyes. Wavy brown hair hung down to her shoulders, curling crazily when it got there. The boy next to her was quite obviously her little brother as he had the same eyes and face. His hair was spiky and darker than hers. And he was shorter by a head.

"Grace, this is Miranda and her little brother George." Yvette introduced. "Grace is going to be staying with us for a bit so do you want to show her upstairs Miranda? She can put her stuff in your room."

"Yeah sure," Miranda said. "Do you want to come on up?"

Grace followed Miranda upstairs and into a wide open lounge room. Between two doors was a blazing fireplace surrounded by a plain mantelpiece, on top of which was a family portrait. The portrait on wall composed on Yvette, Miranda and George standing with another man, presumably Miranda's dad. All of them were waving down at her. In front of it was an old looking couch with a colourful quilt thrown over the back. A tiny bookshelf stood next to Grace. In the opposite corners of the room were desks that were messed up with quills, ink and parchment.

"You can put your stuff in here," Miranda said, showing Grace a small room with a bed, and cornered shelf that held all sorts of things. Posters of Miranda's favourite bands lined the wall, all playing their instruments as they smiled and winked at her. Clothes draped over a hamper and an assortment of books and other things layered the floor. There seemed to be a theme of pandas in the toys and some photos around the room.

"Thanks," Grace smiled. "What's with the pandas?"

"Panda is my nickname, so everyone gets me panda stuff."

"Lucky."

Hphphphphphphphphphphphphphp 

The weeks continued on like that. It was paradise to Grace. Yvette made delicious dinner every night, omelettes for lunch and all sorts of pies all the time. Miranda made sure that Grace ate every single wizarding treat available in England. Her favourite was definitely the pumpkin pasties but she could never deny a chocolate frog; after a week she started collecting the cards. Miranda and Grace explored London everyday together, with George trailing behind. It was a summer Grace would never forget. Both became close friends in the weeks leading up to school. They stayed up all night talking, sometimes having to kick George out of Miranda's room and spent every minute together. Eventually the time came when they had to go to Hogwarts.

Walking down King's Cross station, Grace took a steadying breath. Today was the day. She and Miranda had spent hours talking about what it would be like. They had discussed the houses, the classes, the train ride, the other students, the teachers and the castle. Yvette always said that Hogwarts was the best place in the world and they believed her.

"Quick, quick," Yvette hurried them. "Martin, you first."

Miranda's dad, a brown-haired man in square glasses, ran headfirst at the wall between platforms nine and ten. Grace must have missed something because she blinked and he wasn't there anymore.

"So Grace and Miranda," Yvette turned to us. "Just run straight at the wall, best to go as fast as you can."

Grace glanced at Miranda, slightly worried about running at a wall. They both braced themselves, waiting for the other to take the first turn. Grace decided to be brave, so she pulled her trolley in front of Miranda and ran.

The bricks seemed to melt around her and were replaced by another station full of teenagers and their parents. There were cages of owls and cats, adults wearing robes, kids seven or eight running away from their parents, teenagers meeting again after the long summer. Above all else there was a scarlet steam engine blowing steam over the station. The sign hanging on the wall showed it to be platform nine and three quarters.

Miranda came crashing through the wall, almost hitting Grace. Her eyes scanned the crowd before lighting up at the sight of someone running towards them.

"Ciara!" Miranda screamed at her.

A girl the same age as them pushed through the throng. The girl had sandy coloured hair up in a high bun, soft pink lips and dark blue eyes. Her trolley had her trunk with the initials C.P.A and a wicker basket containing a tiny mewing kitten.

"Miranda, hi!" she exclaimed, hugging Miranda.

"Grace this is my friend, Ciara Archer," Miranda introduced. "One of her mum works with mine at the Ministry. Ciara is the best broom flyer ever."

(**A/N: Ciara is pronounced Kiara.)**

"Oh thanks Hun," Ciara replied. "Nice to meet you. Come on, the twins have got a compartment. Do you want to put your trunks there?"

Ciara led us onto the train and into the closest compartment. Two identical boys sat there talking to another boy with long black dreadlocks. The twins were the same from every bright red hair, to every freckle, to the smile that matched exactly. All three boys were laughing loudly at a joke that one of the twins told.

"Hi there," the red haired boys said at the same time. "Hey Miranda."

Quickly Grace was introduced to the boys and them to her. The twins were Fred and George Weasley and the other boy, Lee Jordan.

After a quick goodbye to Yvette and Martin and thanking them for their hospitality, Grace sat down by herself in the compartment. She'd decided to leave Miranda to say goodbye to her parents and brother without her. It felt like an intrusion of their family moment if she was there too. Fred, George, Lee and Ciara were all saying goodbye to their parents as well. The whistle sounded just as all of them filed back into the compartment and sat down.

The door slid open quietly once they had all settled down. Three girls stood timidly together. The first had a round, cute face and black hair up in a messy bun, very cute in her own crazy way. The next girl was short and tiny. She had short brown hair and smart brown eyes. Last but certainly not least was a girl with long wavy black hair that fell down her face to frame deep brown eyes and a perfect figure. Beautiful, really.

"Hi," the first girl said shyly. "Can we sit here? We can't find anywhere else."

"Yeah sure," Ciara said. "This is Grace Potter, Miranda Heathridge, Lee Jordan, Fred and George Weasley and I'm Ciara Archer. "

"Oh, my gosh," the same girl gasped. "_The_ Grace Potter? Woah this is so cool!"

Grace smiled, not knowing what she should say.

"I'm Trina Davenport," the girl continued. "This is Hannah Guptan and Lara Costalosis."

"Come and sit down in our humble abode," Fred said with a wide smile.

Everyone laughed at him. It could be the start of a beautiful friendship. They would just have to see what Hogwarts houses they were sorted into.

**A/N So it took me longer than I thought to write this. All of friends kept on asking so I am finishing it sitting with them. Hopefully you all like the OCs. I love them! Please review!**


	4. Sorting

**A/N: Here is chapter 4. The only reason it's up is because my friends pestered me until I finished it. It may not be that good but I hope you like it. I know the sorting might be boring and obvious but that's just how the story had to work. Here you go!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, the legend belongs to J. and as much as I would like to own it I don't.**

Chapter 4: Sorting

The first few hours of the trip rolled on by. At lunchtime a jolly old lady turned up at the door pushing a trolley full of sweets and lollies.

"Anything from the trolley dears?" She asked happily.

"We've got ours already," the twins said in unison. They held up identical wrapped packages.

"I have some too," said Miranda with a sigh. Yvette had made salads for us both. As nice as Yvette was the salad was soggy and smelt a bit funny.

Everyone else in the room pulled out their own separate lunches, agreeing that they didn't need to buy anything.

Grace smiled around at her new friends.

"Eight chocolate frogs please," Grace requested. "And three bags of pumpkin pasties."

"Here you are," Grace said as she passed the frogs and pasties around.

"Wow thank you," Hannah said in awe.

For the last hours of the trip everyone got to know each other. Grace learned that Lee, Fred, George, Miranda and Hannah were all what they called pure bloods or had wizard parents. Ciara's dad left her, her little brother, Rhys and her mum when she was young and now she lived with two mums and Rhys. Lara and Trina were both muggle born. Trina had known about Grace from studying her new history books so hard.

"Who actually is You-Know-Who?" Grace whispered. They had just been discussing how Trina was reading all of the new history books.

A hush fell over the carriage. For the first time since Grace had met them Fred, George and Lee were silent.

"Well he's this really bad wizard," Ciara explained softly. "He was really powerful and killed a whole load of people, and then he disappeared on well that night." She finished somewhat awkwardly, not wanting to mention the night Grace's parent's died.

"But what was he called?" Grace persisted.

"Voldemort," Hannah whispered.

"Well um do any of you play quidditch?" Lee asked, trying to talk about a cheerier topic.

The conversation quickly steered away from Voldemort and onto wizard sport then back onto family. Hannah had an older brother Nick, who was in his third year of Hogwarts and was the best Chaser the Ravenclaw team had ever seen. Trina and Lara both had older siblings but neither was magical. Lee was the one only child there. Fred and George definitely had the largest family with four other brothers and a sister. There was Bill, Charlie, Percy, Ron and Ginny.

Another hour passed before everyone decided to change into their robes. The setting outside changed into mountains and became less inhabited. The lamps flickered on as the sun lowered in the sky. The girls slumped on to one another tiredly; after all it had been a long trip. When the train rattled to a slow stop on a lonely platform, they all jerked up right nervously.

Together they lifted their trunks out onto the platform, which had a filled up with students as soon as the doors had opened. The other students seemed to know where they were going but the first years stood in tight huddles until a loud voice boomed over everyone else.

"Firs' years over 'ere," Hagrid boomed. "Firs' years."

All of the smallest students stumbled over to the giant.

"Hi Hagrid!" Grace beamed up at him. All of her new friends gazed at her incredulously for knowing this large man.

Hagrid led the first years over to a fleet of boats sitting in a river. Hagrid had a boat to himself while everyone else had four to a boat. Grace crowded in with Trina, Lara and Hannah while Miranda went off with the boys. Ciara decided to sit with someone else in an effort to meet more people.

"And, start!" Hagrid directed. The first years pushed the oars and off they went. The river passed by a small town before dipping out of sight.

It went dark as the fleet rowed through a cave. When they emerged the river opened into a wide lake but more impressive was the castle looming in the distance. Towers spired off every building with bridges connecting different parts of the castle together. Lights burned in the hundreds of windows in the castle's walls reflecting in the dark lake. As they got closer the first years could see greenhouses at the back of the castle. Around the lake were trees scattered around thickening and darkening further away but opening up towards the huge wooden doors at the main entrance.

Hagrid turned away from the light flowing from this entrance, instead rowing around the side of the castle to a boathouse where all of the first years climbed out of the boats.

"Come on, all of yeh," Hagrid said, leading them up the stairs and through a small door into a wide courtyard where a stern- looking woman stood waiting. The woman had grey hair up in a tight bun, hidden under her pointed witches' hat and dark grey robes. She certainly wasn't a woman Grace wanted to cross.

"Hagrid, you may go now," She said. "I am your deputy headmistress, Professor McGonagall. Follow me."

Miranda and Grace walked close to one another as Professor McGonagall led them through another set of doors and into a large open hall. Marble staircases lead up to the many other floors. Wafting through huge oak doors was the smell of tempting food and sound of students laughing. Professor McGonagall walked them towards these doors but turned away at the last second, instead opening up a smaller door just nearby in the shadow of the staircase.

"Now in a few moments you will make your way into the Great Hall to be sorted. The four houses are Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Your house will be like your family; you will sleep in your house dormitory, study in your house common room and eat at your house table. Any rule-breaking will lose you house points and at the end of the year the house with the most points will win the house cup."

Grace sincerely hoped she wouldn't do anything to get her in trouble. The house cup sounded like an enormous honour to the house that won it.

"All of you will wait here until I return for the sorting." With that she left the room.

"What's the sorting like?" Lara asked Hannah. "Did your brother say anything?"

"He told me not to worry that it's really not that bad," Hannah replied. "But still it makes me a bit nervous."

"Nah, don't worry bout it," Fred said casually. "It's a cinch."

"Yeah Charlie said it's the easiest thing you'll do at Hogwarts," George continued on from his brother.

Their words helped soothe all the girls. In a minute Professor McGonagall was back, "Follow me," was all she said.

The Great Hall was simply magical. Four long tables lined the hall and another for staff was along the back wall. All five tables were laid out with gold goblets and plates but no food yet. The students at each table stared impatiently at the first years; obviously no food was served until they were sorted. Floating above the tables were candles that warmly lit the scene. It seemed as though no roof existed for it showed the beautiful starry night as it really was.

The first years walked up between the two middle tables. At the end of the hall in front of the staff table stood a small stool and placed on top of it was an old shabby wizard's hat that flopped down at its point. All of the first years started as a brim in the hat tore open to start singing. The song described each of the houses from Gryffindor the courageous house and Slytherin the cunning house to Hufflepuff the loyal house and Ravenclaw the intelligent house. Grace certainly didn't think she was any of those things at all.

Professor McGonagall stepped up next to the hat and read off a piece of parchment the names of the first years.

"Archer, Ciara."

Miranda, Grace and Trina smiled encouragingly up at Ciara when she climbed the stairs to sit on the stool. Barely a second passed before the hat roared "GRYFFINDOR!" Ciara smiled and walked over to the scarlet and gold table, sitting in an empty gap and waiting for more people.

"Costalosis, Lara."

Lara shakily walked up to the hat. It fell below her ears, covering her eyes and nose completely. The hat almost seemed to be thinking over the decision and finally yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!" She breathed out in relief, handed the hat back to McGonagall and sat next to Ciara.

"Davenport, Trina."

Trina close to bounced up the stairs out of excitement. The hat perched on her head and, after a moment's deliberation, boomed out "GRYFFINDOR!" Trina's smile lit up the whole room, which was really an amazing thing.

"Guptan, Hannah."

Hannah walked up to the stool, taking deep breaths to calm herself. In the crowd of blue and bronze Ravenclaws a boy who looked just like Hannah, just a few years older grinned reassuringly at her. His smile dropped slightly when she joined Trina, Lara and Ciara as the hat roared, "GRYFFINDOR!"

"Heathridge, Miranda."

Miranda looked absolutely nerve-racked. She sat, trembling on the stool. The hat thought for quite a while and then yelled "GRYFFINDOR!" All sign of the nerves vanished from her face when she sat next to Ciara.

"Jordan, Lee."

Lee walked up to the stool and got sorted into "GRYFFINDOR!" with a small time to decide.

The rest of the first years didn't get sorted quickly enough for Grace. She barely noticed as Rookwood, John got sorted into Slytherin and McNewan, Jesse was yet another addition to Gryffindor.

Finally "Potter, Grace," rang out across the hall. Whispers spread around as soon as students heard the name Potter. Grace tried to ignore them, which was difficult, as she walked steadily up to the stool and hat. McGonagall let the hat fall below her ears hiding the hall from her.

'Ahh Ms Potter," the hat whispered. 'Very smart I see and loyal too. A true friend. Most of all very courageous, able to stand up for your friends. Where should you go? Hmmm let me see. GRYFFINDOR!'

Grace pulled the hat off her head and passed it to McGonagall. Leaping with joy she tried not to skip to a seat next to Miranda. This was the house with all of her new friends. They would sleep in the same dormitory, eat together and have classes together. Now to see whether Fred and George would join them.

"Weasley, Fred."

Sure enough after barely a second Fred was placed in Gryffindor. It was strange to see them go up to the stool separately.

"Weasley, George."

No time passed before he was placed in Gryffindor. No one, not even the sorting hat would be able to separate the twins. Grace smiled with her new housemates, and looked up at the headmaster as McGonagall took the hat away. The man was tall with long silver hair and a matching silver beard of the same length. He wore half-moon spectacles on his crooked nose over twinkling blue eyes, so blue that it made you feel like they were x-raying you.

"Welcome and to our old students welcome back. I hope you all had a wonderful relaxing holiday and you have all emptied your brain for yet another year of learning. Mr Filch has asked me to remind you that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds. Before you all dig into your dinner I would like to introduce the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Wyldonmin," A young fit-looking lady stood up and bowed. "Now you may start."

Food of every sort appeared out of thin air on the table. There were roasts; chicken, beef, pork, lamb; soups; pumpkin, vegetable, pea and ham; rice; jasmine, fluffy and lemon; every sort of food from every country you could think of.

Grace dived in, trying a small bit of everything within reach. Her favourite was definitely the chicken, prawn and chorizo paella. Just when she was falling onto Ciara's shoulder, too full for anymore when puddings appeared. Somehow her stomach appeared empty immediately.

As the puddings disappeared the first years looked around wondering where they were supposed to go, even how to get to their beds.

"First years, follow me please," a red haired boy who looked many years older than them called out. Grace approached him with her friends following her.

"Ahh I see you've met my brothers," the boy sighed looking at Trina laughing at Fred and George. "I'm Charlie Weasley, second oldest Weasley."

"Pleasure to meet you," Grace replied smiling.

Charlie led them out of the Great Hall, up the marble staircase and many more staircases. At one point they came across stairs that moved. Down a corridor on the seventh floor and stopping at a portrait of a fat lady.

"Alejandro," Charlie told the portrait.

"Welcome back, Mr Weasley."

The portrait swung back to reveal a warm cosy living room. It had tables and chairs for studying, big plush armchairs and a huge hot fire. Grace and her friends barely noticed their surroundings as they wearily climbed up the spiral staircase leading to the left. The beds were soft and felt like they were floating on clouds.

Grace looked around at Trina, Miranda, Ciara, Hannah and Lara in each of their beds and smiled. This would be a wonderful term.

**A/N: I hope you don't think the sorting was rushed. I tried to make it really interesting and I hope I did. Thanks for reading it anyway!**


	5. First Year Flies By

**A/N: Hey guys. Here is the 5****th**** chapter. I know its short but it needs be so I can get to some Grace/Harry interaction. There is some at the end of the chapter though. I hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, as much as I'd like to.**

Chapter 5: First Year Flies by

Grace got settled into Hogwarts very quickly. At first she and Miranda would get lost in all of the changing staircases. They almost got detention one day because the door they were trying to get through was actually just a wall pretending to be a door. Professor Flitwick wasn't impressed when they were late. His words were: "Maybe they should start handing out maps of the school to first-years."

Hogwarts came with new shocks every day for someone who had been living without magic their whole life. Grace would jump in surprise every morning when a ghost floated through her breakfast. The portraits were welcoming while walking to class; each would greet Grace and her friends with a friendly smile. Perhaps the greatest thing was the candles that floated above dinner every night, gently lighting the scene. Or maybe it was just the fact that she was attending a school of magic.

The classes were interesting for Grace. Charms was her favourite class. Although she would never say it to his face, Professor Flitwick was a cute little guy. Everyone was good at it. Grace also liked potions, though not the teacher. Professor Severus Snape was despised by the Gryffindors because he was head of Slytherin so only paid attention to the Slytherins. Snape had sallow skin and dark dark eyes framed by lanky greasy hair. Of course, no matter how terrible the teacher was Grace excelled at Potions. It must have been in her blood; maybe her mother was good at potions.

Transfiguration was by far the hardest class. Professor McGonagall was the head of Gryffindor but by all means she didn't give special treatment. Hannah and Lara were fantastic at Transfiguration.

As to their friendship, it grew stronger every day. Sleeping in the same room was tricky at first; everyone had different habits the others had to get used to. Lara liked to wake up early and Miranda left her stuff everywhere. Trina could get loud at night. If it was so late at night, everyone would laugh at Trina going crazy over something in her book that she was reading by wand light. But eventually the girls learnt how to deal with each other's bad habits to make living together as peaceful as possible. As peaceful as it could be living in Hogwarts with Fred and George.

Hannah was always helping everyone study or do their homework. Fred and George were constantly a distraction to all around. After a few weeks Fred, George and Lee's roommate, Jesse joined them to study. He was shy at first but quickly grew to be a part of the tight- knit group.

One lesson that got the first years excited was flying. Grace didn't know what to expect. It turns out she was an alright flyer but not one for quidditch. Miranda, Lara, Trina, Jesse and Lee were just the same; some worse than others.

"Ah well," Lee said after their first lesson. "It was always my calling to be a Quidditch fan, not to play."

On the other hand Ciara, Hannah, Fred and George were fabulous flyers. All of them swore that next year, when they were allowed their own brooms, they would join the Gryffindor team. Course, they were from wizarding families so they'd had experience. That was Grace's reasoning anyway.

Although Grace was a good student and studied hard, the twins' pranks would constantly get one of them in trouble. Most of the time the boys wouldn't get caught but the few times they were Grace, Miranda, Trina or Ciara were with them. Not necessarily helping with the prank but they just happened to be near so Fred and George dragged them along. Lee was more likely to join Fred and George in detention. One afternoon when Fred and George were stuck in the caretaker, Argus Filch's office no one was with them.

Grace sat cross-legged between Ciara and Miranda on Fred's bed in the boy's dormitory. Hannah and Lara were on George's bed next to them while Trina and Jesse were sprawled on the floor. Grace was trying to explain to them the properties of wolfsbane for Potions when the door banged opened.

"Look what we found!" George yelled, waving a dirty bit of parchment around. Lee rolled off his bed to see what the fuss was about.

"A piece of parchment?" Lara asked, a slight hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Not just any piece of parchment," Fred contradicted.

Both he and George jumped onto George's bed while Fred waved his wand over the parchment. Writing appeared in scrawled but surprisingly neat writing. It read: _Missus Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs would like to congratulate you on retrieving the Marauders Map. Good job on escaping your detention. We hope you use this map for all sorts of mischief._

"Whoa that is so freaking cool!" Trina exclaimed.

"Yeah but where's the map?" Ciara pointed out hypocritically. "If it even is one."

"Oh yeah there's that," Fred frowned.

For the next couple of hours they all stayed in the boys' dormitory trying to figure out how to make a map appear on this parchment. The original message never faded. At midnight, even the boys were ready to give up. Lara, Hannah, Grace and Ciara had fallen asleep either on the floor or one of the beds. Miranda and Jesse were starting to yawn but as they all knew Trina would only show signs of tiredness in the morning.

Finally, George pointed his wand at the parchment and yelled in exasperation, "Aw c'mon, I solemnly swear I'm not up to any good!"

Ink lines swirled across the parchment forming lines of walls and staircases. Folding out the parchment you could see what appeared to be more floors. Most importantly there were the tiny footprints walking across the map; each labelled with a name.

The yells and cheers from the boys, Trina and Miranda woke Hannah, Lara, Ciara and Grace up.

"What's going on?" Grace slurred while blinking rapidly to rid her of the sleep trying to drag her back done.

Lara stumbled over and looked at the map in the fading firelight. "Is that a map of Hogwarts?"

"Yeah it has to be," Miranda said excitedly. "Are those Snape's footprints?"

The Marauders Map, as the map was titled, made sure that Fred and George avoided Filch on their pranking trips. To them, it was a lifesaver. They even managed to discover a few new hidden passageways. And sneak up on the girls whenever they wanted privacy.

Even with all of this going on Grace missed Harry. There was no one else that she could really talk to. As great as all of her friends were it wasn't the same as . She worried about Harry. Dudley was most likely still bullying him. Heck, its Dudley, of course he's being bullied! What would Harry think of when Grace disappeared? What did Aunt Petunia tell him? He probably thought she had just left him there and ran away. Grace didn't even know if she was going back to the Dursleys but, for Harry's sake, she wished she was.

It was with that that Grace waved goodbye to all of her friends at the end of the term. It was an exhilarating feeling to run through the barrier at Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

On the other side of the platform barrier standing in the distance and looking quite disgruntled was Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, Dudley and, Grace's face broke into a smile, Harry. Grace squealed and broke into a run. She let go of her trolley, pushing it into Dudley and wrapped Harry in her arms.

His spikey black hair tickled her nose and his glasses pressed into her shoulder. She didn't want to let go of him.

"How are you, Harry?" Grace asked him, pulling him away and looking into his green eyes.

He looked up at her smiling, "I'm great Grace, but I missed you. I thought you weren't coming back. Aunt Petunia said you ran away."

"No, Harry, I'll never leave you. I just got a position at a boarding school," Grace whispered.

One arm wrapped around Harry's, Grace turned her head back to catch one last glimpse of her friends, many of whom were surrounded by family. Miranda gave her one last smile. That smile would have to last Grace all summer. All she could see of Fred and George was the tops of their heads as they were engulfed by people with hair the same bright colour.

Together she and Harry walked to Uncle Vernon's car; where the Dursleys waited impatiently.

"Oh and Harry?" Grace said once they car had left the station.

"Yeah?" He gazed at her happily.

"Happy birthday for the last year."

**A/N: So how was that? And also I just want to say that when I was just about to finish this I got an e-mail saying that a scholarship to a young writers development program. YAY! Please review and I might even have the next chapter tomorrow!**


	6. Second Year is Even Better

**A/N: Yay the next chapter! There's not much Harry in this chapter but trust me there will be in the next. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter; I just own the original characters.**

Chapter six: Second Year is Even Better

From that moment on Grace wasn't allowed to speak a single word about her school. Grace only accepted because she had to spend most of the year without her brother. Harry still learnt about all of her friends; he really wanted to meet Fred and George. Grace never left her brother's side.

But the summer holidays couldn't last forever. September the 1st came all too soon.

"Listen Harry," Grace said. They were on the road, just outside King's Cross. "I'll miss you more than anything while I'm at school. I'll write if I can, all my friends want to know all about you. Stay away from Dudley as best as you can. Concentrate on school even if that's completely boring."

"Well you should too. All of your teachers sound pretty strict," Harry replied. "And tell me all about Fred and George's pranks when you get back. I'll miss you."

"I'm sure you'll come with me next year," Grace grinned slyly at him. "I love you Harry, see you in a few months."

Grace pulled Harry into her arms, just hearing the whisper of 'Love you too Gracie' in her ear. Tears clouded Grace's vision as she dragged her way out of Harry's embrace, grabbing her trunk along the way. Just when Harry was ducking back into the Dursley's car; that was when she looked back. Harry caught her eye through the open car window and waved goodbye.

Within the next ten minutes Grace sped through the platform barrier, boarded the Hogwarts Express and sat down in a train compartment with all of her friends from last year. On one side was Fred, George, Ciara, Lara and Jesse. Across from them were Hannah, Trina, Lee, Miranda and Grace. A few months apart didn't stop the fact that they were close friends.

It didn't take long once back at Hogwarts to get back in routine. The classes were harder than last year which meant even longer hours of studying sessions. There was even a new defence against the dark arts teacher: Professor Eisenhouser. Apparently Professor Wyldonmin had disappeared over the summer. There were rumours that she had wandered into the Forbidden forest and was eaten by werewolves. Not many actually believed that story.

After a month back came an event that got Grace's friends ecstatic. That event was the Gryffindor quidditch trials. Hannah, Ciara, Fred and George had all signed up. On a cold October day Trina, Lee, Lara, Miranda, Grace and Jesse sat in the stands for encouragement.

Down on the pitch the captain, a seventh year Zachery Screet, sorted the Gryffindors trying out into lines for what position they were trying out for. Ciara and Hannah both wanted to be chasers whereas Fred and George were determined to be beaters. Zachery refused to have anyone other than Oliver Wood for a Keeper and he was the Seeker.

In a somewhat swift motion all the Gryffindors trying out took to the air. First off Zachery had to make sure they could all fly. Those who couldn't were sent to the stands. Next step was to test their individual skills.

The chasers, which included Ciara and Hannah, had to try and get the quaffle in when Oliver was the Keeper. It sounded easy enough but Oliver Wood was the best keeper any Gryffindor had ever seen. Getting it past him really was a challenge.

"Ciara Archer, your turn," Zachery called out.

Ciara flew up to grab the quaffle and try her luck .Amazing was the only word to describe it. She rolled, feinted and swerved. In the five tries she got all of them in. The girls in the stands all held their breath at the last one. Ciara dodged to one side but Oliver was quicker. Just when the girls thought she would be able to pass him, the Quaffle fell from the tips of her fingers into his outstretched arms.

"Bella Zandyais," Zachery called out.

"Ohhh I heard she's going out with the captain," Trina gossiped to Grace, Miranda and Lara.

"Isn't that a bit bias?" Lara wondered aloud. The scandalised looks she got in return showed the answer was a definite yes.

Bella managed to score three out of five goals. Her problem was that she started to squeal if Oliver came to close to her. After a few other players, Zachery read from the sign- up sheet: "Hannah Guptan."

Hannah was simply spectacular. Instead of using tricky moves she just had speed. Nothing could stop her. Of course Oliver tried his very best but it was impossible to stop her.

When Hannah was done, Zachery sent the chasers to the stands while he tried out the beaters. He would reveal the team together at the end of trials.

Beater try-outs were simple. Oliver flew around the pitch and the beater had to keep the bludger away from him. It was dangerous for Oliver seeing as most the beaters could barely hold up their bat let alone hit a Bludger with it. One even managed to swing the bat back and hit Oliver on his shoulder. Trina was clutching tight onto Grace's hand until Oliver declared he was alright.

Zachery was losing patience when George flew up. There was no need to be. The bludger never went within ten metres of Oliver. George hit it so hard that someone had to fly off to bring it back.

Fred was straight after his twin. It was the same again, never within ten metres. At one point Fred hit the bludger so squarely that it flew into the goalpost on the other end of the pitch.

Once everyone was back on the ground; Oliver nursing bruises from failed beaters, Zachery got ready to tell them who the new team was.

"Right," Zachery began. "First off the beaters are obvious; Fred and George Weasley. As for chasers, we have Alicia Spinnet, Ciara Archer and Bella Zandyais. Training will start next week, on Wednesday. I don't really care if you've got prior arrangements."

With that the try-outs ended. Trina, Lara, Grace and Miranda were fuming when they found out Bella had made the team and Hannah hadn't. Grace even confronted Zachery at breakfast the next day.

"Look if she really wants, she can be a reserve," he had informed her. "But I'm the Captain, I chose the Chasers and I make the final decision."

"Not anything to with the fact one of them is your girlfriend," Grace mumbled as she stalked away from him.

So the term continued.

Lee signed up to be commentator for the Quidditch games and got the job after convincing McGonagall he wouldn't swear or be the least bit bias. When training moved to mid-morning on Sundays, everyone who didn't have to train woke up early to eat breakfast with the players on the grass outside the Quidditch pitch. Although Miranda, Ciara, Trina and Lee complained about waking up earlier than twelve on a Sunday every last one of them agreed that it was nice to have a picnic breakfast.

Fred and George's pranks continued, even worse than the year before. Their favourite new victim was Professor Eisenhouser, the Defence against the Dark Arts teacher. She was very theoretical, never doing any interesting practical work and as much as she tried not very strict at all. What made her the perfect target was her quiet personality that insisted on giving them piles of homework.

One lesson Fred and George persuaded Grace and Miranda to get everyone, except for the Slytherins and Professor Eisenhouser, to wear a bubble head charm while they set off a dungbomb. It wasn't pretty. Her tiny nose started twitching and once the smell reached her a shade of green highlighted her face. Every single one of the Gryffindors congratulated Fred and George on a job well done.

Grace also began reading books in the library about medical magic. It started when she was searching for a research book for science and found a biography on one of the most famous healers in wizard history. Late at night she could be found curled up in corner of the boys dormitory, having started to read a medicine book when her friends were there and falling asleep with the book in her hands. It got so bad that all of the boys tended to check all corners of the room before dousing the fire for the night.

Her curiosity too great Grace started floating around the hospital wing, wanting to see some healing in action. When Madam Pompfrey saw how enthusiastic Grace was she let her help with small things. Grace was willing to clean the floors as long as she could see Madam Pompfrey work medicinal magic.

A new friend Grace made was Hagrid. She, Miranda and Ciara went to his house for tea regularly. Though no one could bite his rock cakes with breaking a tooth, it was nice to talk to the friendly giant. He seemed to know everything that was happening in the castle.

Behind Grace's new friend rose the boys' new enemies. Callidus Minos took every opportunity to call Fred and George blood traitors. In potions he was Professor Snape's favourite. The worst part of all was that usually an enemy's cronies were stupid enough to not understand what was going on but Callidus' weren't. John Rockwood never left Callidus' side but stood there sneering and adding his own snide comments. Somehow both of them made the Slytherin quidditch team as beaters, which only made their rivalry with Fred and George that much worse.

As for the girls, Helena Oves, a Slytherin in the same year as them, could kill them with her evil smiles. She was a gorgeous girl with short blonde hair and light blue eyes that could decrease your own self-esteem with a raise of her eyebrows. Just the fact that she thinks she's better than everyone could drive Grace and her friends up the wall.

Then again even Callidus, John and Helena combined couldn't spoil Grace's mood one Friday afternoon. Nothing much had actually happened to improve her mood; she was just having a generally good day. First she aced a potions quiz (even if Snape wouldn't admit it), then there was delicious hot chocolate served with lunch and finally she was walking down the sunny path to Hagrid's hut with Miranda and Ciara.

"Hi Hagrid," Grace called out to the Hagrid, who was sitting on a couch outside his hut cradling what appeared to be a bundle of rags.

"Hello there," he boomed out to them.

"What have you got there, Hagrid?" Ciara asked as Grace and Miranda collapsed onto the soft grass.

"I found this little fella jus' outside the forest," Hagrid said.

He let the rags fall away revealing a tiny white kitten mewing sadly.

"Aw Hagrid," Ciara cooed. "He's so cute!"

"Actually if you look it's a she." Miranda pointed out.

"But who's going to look after her?" Grace wondered. "Has she been abandoned?"

"Yeah bout that," Hagrid began. "Would one of you girls like to take her in? She's got no other place to go."

All in one the girls 'aww'ed at the prospect of looking after a baby cat. Agreement came from all three of them. While at Hogwarts they could look after the cat together and when they went home then they would decide who would take the cat home. With Hagrid they found the perfect name: Bellus. Or just Bell when they were lazy. When the sky started to darken Grace, Miranda and Ciara gathered up their new friend and waved goodbye to Hagrid.

'Yeah,' Grace thought once snuggled in bed with Bellus. 'Perfect day.'

What with a new kitten to look after as well as homework and quidditch practise for Ciara, George and Fred the rest of the term passed quickly. Every night Grace collapsed into to bed tired either from helping Madam Pompfrey, studying with the girls or chasing after an energetic Bellus. But the only thing she would change would be to have her brother there too.

At the very end of the term the students all got a surprise when they found out Professor Eisenhouser had left.

"Professor McGonagall, why did she leave?" Lara asked one Transfiguration lesson.

There was no reply, simply a stern look in Lee, Fred and George's direction.

When the Hogwarts Express drew level with Platform Nine and Three Quarters the girls said tearful goodbyes during tight embraces. Fred and George squirmed but otherwise accepted the hug from Grace. Grace and Ciara clutched Bellus tightly as Miranda prepared the cat basket Yvette had bought once Miranda wrote home.

Harry and the Dursleys were standing on road when Grace strolled out of the station, her blazing air flying behind her.

"Hey Harry," Grace greeted cheerily. "How's it going?"

"I just got out of the cupboard from a punishment," he replied moodily.

"Are you alright?" Grace asked. "What did you do?"

"I set a snake on Dudley," Harry grinned.

In the middle of placing her trunk in the boot, Grace fell on the ground laughing and unable to breathe.

"C'mon girl," Uncle Vernon barked. "We haven't got all day. Get in the car."

Grace scowled at him and squished between Dudley and Harry, which was a very unpleasant experience. In between Dudley's rolls of fat and her bony brother, there was only one thing she could think of. Harry setting a snake on Dudley had to be a sign of the accidental magic Hannah was telling her about. As Harry was almost eleven his Hogwarts letter should be coming soon. This summer should be interesting.

**A/N: Do you like the ending? Please review!**


	7. Hagrid comes for a Visit

**A/N: so it's finally here! It took me a long time cause of school, family and the fact that I now have a boyfriend. I could go on about him for ages but this story is probably more interesting to you readers. Before any of you say anything yes most of it has been copied off the chapter in **_**Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: The Letters from No-One.**_** I wanted to get it accurate since this is a very important chapter. I promise I'll put more of my own words in too. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. That is for J.K Rowling.**

Chapter Seven: Hagrid Comes for a visit

The sun beat down on Grace's neck as she crouched in the backyard of number four privet drive, trimming the hedges. Her red hair was pinned in a bun providing no protection from the sun at all. Cleaning the garden was Grace's punishment for a number of things. The first one was yelling at Dudley when he punched Harry. Next was calling uncle Vernon a pig in a wig, even though it's true. And worst of all when Harry asked her how school had been she said it was magical. Harry didn't know what all the fuss was but Aunt Petunia dropped the milk jug and Uncle Vernon spat his tea all over the table. Grace's agreement with Uncle Vernon was still standing but Grace knew that Harry would find out soon enough.

Five hours later, when the garden looked despicably neat Grace was called inside. On the table sat a plate of bread and ham for Grace's dinner.

"Sit down girl," Uncle Vernon barked, gesturing at the table.

Grace slid into the chair next to Harry, struggling to swallow her dry bread.

"Tomorrow your Aunt and I are taking Dudley shopping for his school uniform. You and your brother are going to Ms Figgs for the day."

Grace scowled at her uncle but accepted the decision. Partly because she would be spending time with Harry at Ms Figgs, and partly because if she argued her punishment would most likely be worse than the last.

But Ms Figgs house was actually fun for Grace. The chocolate cake was slightly old but it was still chocolate cake. Harry laughed when Grace shoved the cake into her mouth but him laughing made Grace laugh and therefore spit out the cake. Only made them laugh harder. Ms Figgs was still on her crutches so she just let them watch TV which meant more time together for Harry and Grace.

The only bad part was that evening when Dudley paraded about the house in his new Smelting's uniform. It consisted of Maroon tailcoats, orange knickerbocker and flat straw hats called boaters. There a was also a knobbly stick to carry out and whack people with, supposedly to it was a life lesson. Grace very nearly puked when she saw him.

Of course Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia didn't share her disgust. Uncle Vernon said gruffly it was the proudest moment of his life. Aunt Petunia burst into tears at how grown-up her 'Ickle Duddykins' was. Grace pretended to put a finger down her throat when their backs were turned. Harry made very funny sounds, like a mixture between a cough and laugh, trying not to laugh.

Next morning Grace blocked her nose at breakfast. There was a foul smell coming from the tub that Aunt Petunia was dying Harry's school uniform in. Grace secretly smiled knowing that Harry would go nowhere near Stonewall High.

"Ow!"Grace yelled. Dudley had whacked her across the head with his Smelting stick. He had been carrying that thing everywhere, just to 'learn the proper way'. In other words he wanted to hit people more. As long as it wasn't Harry, Grace didn't care.

Harry wrinkled his nose as he walked in. "What's this?" he asked Aunt Petunia. Her lips pursed in the way they did if he asked any questions.

"Your new school uniform," She replied.

After a moment of looking into the bowl Harry said, "Oh, I didn't realise it had to be so wet."

Grace had to stifle her laughter and didn't end up hearing Aunt Petunia's reply. Harry sat at the table while Dudley banged his stick and Uncle Vernon read the paper.

They all heard the click of the letter-box and flop of letters and the front door.

"Get the post Dudley," came Uncle Vernon's voice from behind the newspaper.

"Make Harry get it."

"Get the post Harry."

"Make Dudley get it."

"Poke him with your Smelting's stick, Dudley."

Grace watched the interaction with raised eyebrows, scowling at the end. She attempted to stop Dudley hitting Harry without causing Dudley enough pain to make him complain. It didn't work. Harry walked off.

When Harry didn't return immediately Uncle Vernon got impatient. He laid down his paper and shouted down the hall, "Hurry up boy! What are you doing, checking for letter bombs?"

As Uncle Vernon chuckled to himself Grace though 'Yeah his joke was so funny I forgot to laugh.'

Harry slowly ambled back in, passing Uncle Vernon his letter on the way. In his own hands was an envelope made of heavy, yellow paper. Grace smiled and watched him open it intently.

"Dad!" said Dudley suddenly. "Dad, Harry's got something!"

Uncle Vernon snatched the letter out of Harry's hand just as he was unfolding it.

"That's _mine!_" Harry exclaimed.

"Who'd be writing to you?" sneered Uncle Vernon. Grace knew exactly who but decided not to spoil the moment. Uncle Vernon shook the letter open and read it with a glance. His face went from red to green and very quickly on to the colour of greyish old porridge.

"P-P-Petunia!" he gasped.

Dudley tried to grab the letter but Uncle Vernon held it out of reach. Aunt Petunia slowly took the letter and read it cautiously. Grace smiled in anticipation, waiting for the moment when Aunt Petunia would relise what she was reading. After second she looked faint, clutching her throat and making a choking noise.

"Vernon! Oh my goodness- Vernon!"

Grace grinned smugly.

Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon just stood there, staring at each other. They seemed to think no one else was there. Dudley wasn't use to the feeling of being ignored so promptly hit his father over the head with his Smelting stick.

"I want to read that letter," he demanded.

"I want to read," Harry argued furiously, "as it's _mine."_

"Get out, all of you," Uncle Vernon croaked.

Grace ambled over to the door, smile still etched on her face, but turned back with her arms crossed to see how the scene unfolded. So far Harry wasn't moving.

"I WANT MY LETTER!" he shouted.

"Let _me _see it!" Dudley yelled over the top of Harry.

"OUT!" Uncle Vernon roared. He took both Harry and Dudley by the scruffs of the neck and threw them into the hall, slamming the door after him. Grace smirked and walked up to her room while Harry and Dudley fought over who could listen in at the door. She knew what would happen; her uncle and aunt would ignore the signs as they always have then it would explode in their faces.

Grace stayed in her room all day. Dinner was delivered to her room as staying together in the same room was near impossible without Dudley complaining, Harry arguing, Aunt Petunia whimpering and Uncle Vernon yelling. Late that night, Uncle Vernon squished himself through Grace's doorway. It was a struggle.

"Read the letter yet?" Grace laughed up at him from her bed.

"Right girl," he began angrily. "Not a word of that letter and its contents leaves this room. Your brother does not what it says and nor will he find out."

"alright," Grace said casually.

"He's moved himself to Dudley's second bedroom for now," he continued. "You will go back to your freak school at the end of the summer and he will be attending Stonewall high."

With that he slammed the door and left.

Next morning at breakfast, everyone was rather quiet. Dudley was in complete shock because, for once in his life, he didn't get what he wanted. According to Dudley, he needed the room that Uncle Vernon had given to Harry. Grace couldn't see why. Dudley had screamed, hit everything within reach with his Smelting stick, threw his breakfast and finally cried at his mother. Nothing would work.

When the post arrived, Uncle Vernon made Dudley get it, it was almost like he was trying to be nice to Harry. Dudley banged his Smelting stick on the walls and furniture as he yelled: "There's another one! _Mr H Potter, The smallest Bedroom, 4 Privet Drive-"_

Uncle Vernon let out a strangled cry and leapt from his seat to run down the hall, Harry right at his heels. Grace had barely sat down with her bacon when everyone had left.

She could hear a struggle in the hall and, after a minute, Uncle Vernon wheezing for Dudley and Harry to go to their separate rooms. A minute later he returned red-faced to the kitchen.

"Bacon now!" he croaked.

Grace slipped five rashers of bacon onto his plate before slipping out of room. Up the stairs and into Harry's room was where she went.

"Hey," she said as she sat on his bed. "How are you?"

"I just want to know who's sending me all these letters. I mean they must really want me to read it."

"Yeah they do," Grace sighed. "But if they really do then they'll send more letters. You'll get some more trust me."

"Thanks Grace," Harry smiled. "You want to play cards? I found an old pack of Dudley's in here."

"Yeah sure as long as there aren't grease marks from his hands on them."

By Friday no fewer than twelve letters had arrived for Vernon had closed up the letterbox so hey found their way in every other possible way; under the door, through the sides of the door and even in the window of the downstairs bathroom.

Uncle Vernon was going mental. He sayed home from work to board up all cracks in the front and back doors. All the while humming 'Tiptoe through the Tulips' and jumping at small noises.

By Saturday things began to get out of hand. Twenty-four letters to Harry found their way in the house, rolled up and hidden in each of the two dozen eggs that the very confused milk man handed Aunt Petunia through the living room window. Uncle Vernon made furious calls to the dairy and posst office but struggled to find anyone to complain to; Aunt Petunia shredded the letters in the food processor.

Grace sat down on the stairs thinking. If the Dursleys were _this _determined for Harry not to get his letter then something major would happen very soon.

On Sunday morning Uncle Vernon sat down at the breakfast table looking tired but happy.

"No post on Sundays," he reminded them happily. "no damn letters today-"

But he never finished his sentence as something whizzed out of the chimney and caught him sharply on the back on the head. Next second thirty or forty letters shot out of the fireplace. The Dursley's ducked, Harry jumped up to catch them and Grace fell on the ground laughing at what her school had come up with.

"out! OUT!"

Uncle Vernon seized Harry around the middle, throwing him out into the hall as Aunt Petunia and Dudley ran out cowering with their arms over their head. Grace stumbled after them and collapsed on the floor, cackling wildly.

"That does it," Uncle Vernon said over the sound of letters still streaming into the kitchen. "I want you all back here in five minutes, ready to leave. We're going away. Just pack some clothes. No arguments!"

He looked quite scary after pulling out half of his moustache that no one dared to argue. Ten minutes later they had pulled the boards off the door and were speeding towards to the motorway. Dudley was sulking in the back seat because Uncle Vernon wouldn't let him pack his television, video and computer.

They drove. And drove. Aunt Petunia didn't dare ask where they were going. Every now and then Uncle Vernon would take a sharp turn and head off in the opposite direction for a while.

"Shake 'em off. . . shake 'em off," he would mutter whenever he did this.

They didn't stop to eat or drink all day. A whole day without stealing some of Dudley's chocolate was killing Grace. She needed something sweet. But Dudley complaining about not playing video games and missing TV shows was worse.

At last they stopped outside a gloomy looking hotel outside a big city. Grace slept on the floor of a room with Harry and Dudley taking the beds. After that day Grace fell asleep straight away; her dreams containing Fred and George sneaking around the Hogwarts castle with Harry, showing him her magic, Bellus snuggling on Harry's lap.

Breakfast was stale cornflakes and cold tinned tomatoes. Not good for Grace's small stomach. They had just finished when the hotel owner came over to the table.

"Scuse me but is one of you Mr H Potter? Only I got about a undred of these at the front desk."

She held up a letter and Grace read the green inked address.

_Mr H Potter_

_Room 17_

_Railview Hotel_

_Coke worth_

Harry made to grab the letter but Uncle Vernon knocked his hand out of the way. The woman stared.

"I'll take them," said Uncle Vernon, standing up quickly and following her from the dining-room.

"Wouldn't it be better just to go home, dear?" Aunt Petunia suggested timidly, hours later, but Uncle Vernon didn't hear. Grace thought he was had gone paranoid. Exactly what he was looking for none of them knew. He drove them into the middle of a forest, got out, looked around, shook his head, got back in the car and drove off again. The same thing happened in the middle if a ploughed field, halfway across a suspension bridge and at the top of a multi-story car park.

"Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?" Dudley asked Aunt Petunia dully late that afternoon. Uncle Vernon had parked at the coast and locked them in the car.

It started to rain. Great droplets of water pounded on the roof of the car. Dudley snivelled.

"It's Monday," he told his mother. The Great Humberto's on tonight. I want to stay somewhere with a television."

Monday. If today was Monday the thirtieth than tomorrow, the thirty-first was Harry's birthday. Grace had trouble getting Harry birthday presents since she herself had no money most off presents were handmade. Last year she baked him cookies and wrapped ribbon around it. But Grace couldn't see how she was going to hand make something now.

Uncle Vernon came back to the car and he was smiling. He was also carrying a long, thin package and wouldn't answer Aunt Petunia when she asked what he bought.

"Found the perfect place!" he said. "Come on! Everyone out!"

It was freezing cold outside the car. Grace started shivering. Uncle Vernon was pointing to what looked like a rock out to sea. Perched on the rock was the most miserable little shack Grace had ever seen. There was certainly no TV out there.

"Storm forecast for tonight !" said Uncle Vernon with glee, clapping his hands in excitement. "And this gentleman's kindly agreed to lend us his boat!"

A toothless old man came ambling up to them, pointing, with a rather wicked grin, at an old rowing boat bobbing in the dark roiling water below them.

"I've already got us some rations," said Uncle Vernon. "so all aboard!"

It was even chillier in the boat. Icy sea spray and rain crept down their necks as the sharp wind whipped their faces. After what seemed like hours they reached the rock, where Uncle Vernon, slipping and sliding, led the way to the broken-down house.

The inside was horrible, it smelled strongly of seaweed, the wind whistled through the gaps in the wood and the fireplace was damp and empty. There were only two rooms.

Uncle Vernon's rations turned out to be a packet of crisps each and four bananas. He tried to start a fire but the empty crisps packets just smoked and shrivelled up. "Could do with some of those letters now, eh?" he said cheerfully.

He was in a very good mood. Obviously he thought nobody could reach them out here. Grace knew better but kept it to herself. Magic could defy anything.

As night fell, the promised storm blew harder and faster. Spray from the high waves splattered the walls of the hut and a fierce wind rattled the windows. Aunt Petunia found a few mould blankets in the second room and made up a bed for Dudley on the moth-eaten sofa. She and Uncle Vernon went to the lumpy bed next door. Grace gave Harry the last blanket, which was admittedly the thinnest, most ragged one there. Grace pulled her wool cardigan closer around her body and slumped into the back of the sofa.

The storm raged more and more ferociously as the night went on. It took a while but Grace eventually fell into a sleep full of more dreams.

Random faces and shapes. Hogwarts, Miranda, Harry, Madam Pompfrey.

Whispers and murmurs. Some inaudible, some just words.

Then a scene formed. Fred and George, mischievous grins on their identical faces, crouched in a corridor at Hogwarts. They were yelling something at Grace, seemed excited about their next prank. George grabbed her hand and pulled her back as Fred aimed a spell over their shoulders.

BOOM!

Grace sat bold upright, shivering as she took in her surroundings. Someone was outside, knocking to come in.

**Thank you for reading and please review!**


	8. Shopping in the Summer

**A/N: For those people who actually read this fic, sorry for not updating. This chapter is really really long and I had an amazingly stupid amount of assignments in school. Now I can write when ever I want until that time next term when I get more homework. *sigh*. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This amazingness belongs to J. . **

Chapter Eight: Shopping in the Summer

BOOM. They knocked again. Dudley jerked awake.

"Where's the canon?" he asked stupidly.

There was a crash behind them as Uncle Vernon came skidding into the room. He was holding in his hands a long, thin rifle.

'Ha!' Grace thought. 'Like that's going to be any help'

"Who's there?" he shouted. "I warn you- I'm armed!"

There was a pause. Then-

SMASH!

The door was hit with so much force that it swung clean off its hinges and landed with a deafening crash on the floor.

A giant of a man was standing in the doorway. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangle of beard, but you could still make out the twinkling eyes of Grace's friend, Rubeus Hagrid.

Hagrid squeezed his way into the hut, stooping so that his head just brushed the ceiling. He bent down picked up the door and fitted it easily back into its frame. The noise of the storm outside dropped a little. He turned to look at them all.

"Couldn't make us a cup o' tea could yeh? It's not been an easy journey. . . ."

He strode over to the sofa where Dudley sat frozen with fear.

"Budge up, yeh great lump," said Hagrid. "Well 'ello there Gracie."

"Hey Hagrid," Grace replied, collapsing on the couch after Dudley had ran off in fear.

"An here's Harry!" said Hagrid. "Last time I saw you, you was only a baby. Yeh look a lot like yer dad, but yeh've got yer mum's eyes."

Uncle Vernon made a funny rasping noise. Grace remembered that he hadn't been there last Hagrid had come over.

"I demand that you leave at once, sir!" he said. "You are breaking and entering!"

"Ah, shut up, Dursley, yeh great prune," said Hagrid. He reached over the back over the shoulder, jerked the gun out of Uncle Vernon's hands, bent in into a knot as easily as if I had been made of rubber, and threw it into a corner of the room.

Uncle Vernon made another funny noise, rather like Professor Eisenhouser when Fred and George had pulled a terrible prank, Grace thought.

"Anyway- Harry," said Hagrid, turning his back to the Dursleys and back to the Potters. "A very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here- I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste alright."

From an inside pocket of his black overcoat he pulled out a slightly squashed box. Harry opened it with trembling fingers while Grace smiled encouragingly. Inside was a large, sticky chocolate cake with_ Happy Birthday Harry _written on it with green icing.

Harry looked up at the giant. "Who are you?" he blurted out.

Hagrid chuckled at him.

"True, I haven't introduced meself. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."

He held out an enormous hand and shook Harry's whole arm.

"Don't worry Harry," Grace reassured him. "He forgot to tell me who he is when we first met too."

"What about that tea then, eh?" he said after blushing slightly. "I'd not say no ter summat stronger if yeh've got it, mind."

His eyes fell on the empty grate with the shrivelled crisp packets in it and he snorted. He bent down over the fireplace; _Incendio _immediately popped into Grace's mind and when he drew back, there was a roaring fire there. It filled the whole damp hut with flickering light and Grace felt the warmth flood through her.

Hagrid sat back down on the sofa, which sagged under his weight and began taking all sorts of things out of his famous huge pockets: a copper kettle, a squashy bag of sausages, a poker, a teapot, several chipped mugs and a bottle of Firewhisky which he took a swig from before starting to make tea. Soon the hut was full of the sound and smell of sizzling sausage. Nobody said a thing while Hagrid was working. Grace was in bliss; nothing could ruin this moment for her.

When Dudley started fidgeting, Uncle Vernon said sharply, "Don't touch anything he gives you, Dudley."

Hagrid chuckled darkly.

"Yer great puddin' of a son don' need fattenin' any more, Dursley, don' worry."

Grace grinned. He passed some sausages to Harry and Gracie, who was extremely hungry but wary about anything cooked by Hagrid. She had terrible experience with his rock cakes. Nobody said anything for a while until Harry said, "I'm sorry, but I still don't really know who you are."

Hagrid took a gulp of tea and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Grace knew that he would explode when he found out how little Harry knew. She had always avoided the topic around him.

"Call me Hagrid," Hagrid said. "everyone does. An' like I told yeh, I'm keeper of keys at Hogwarts- yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, o' course.

"Er-no," said Harry.

Hagrid looked shocked. Grace felt guilty.

"Sorry," said Harry quickly.

"_Sorry?_" barked Hagrid, turning to stare at the Dursleys, who shrank back into the shadows. "It's them as should be sorry! I knew yeh weren't getting' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou' Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yer parents learnt it all?"

"All what?" asked Harry. Grace groaned silently.

"ALL WHAT?" Hagrid thundered. "Now wait jus' one second!"

He had leapt to his feet. In his anger he seemed to fill the whole hut. The Dursleys were cowering against the wall.

"Do you mean ter tell me," he growled. "That this boy- this boy!- knows nothin' abou'- abou' ANYTHING?"

"I know _some _things," Harry protested. "I can, you know, do maths and stuff."

But Hagrid simply waved his hand and said," About _our _world, I mean. _Your _world. _My _world. _Yer family's world."_

"What world?" was Harry's response.

Hagrid spun round to Grace, "Have you never told yer own brother about his parents?"

"Hagrid I really wanted to trust me, I did," Grace started anxiously. "But Uncle Vernon said I would be locked in my room if I mentioned anything. I couldn't not see Harry all holidays."  
Grace's lip was trembling and her eyes filled with tears as she finished.

Hagrid looked ready to explode.

"DURSLEY!" he boomed.

Uncle Vernon, who had gone very pale, whispered something that sounded like: "Mimblewimble." Hagrid stared wildly at Harry and Grace.

"But yeh must know about yer mum and dad," he said. "I mean, they're _famous. You're famous."_

"What? My- my mum and dad weren't famous, were they?"

"Yeh don' know. . . yeh don' know. . ." Hagrid ran his fingers through his hair, fixing Harry with a bewildered stare.

"Yeh don' know what yeh are? "he said finally.

Uncle Vernon suddenly found his voice.

"Stop!" he commanded. "Stop right there, sir! I forbid you to tell the boy anything!"

A braver man than Vernon Dursley would have quailed under the furious look Hagrid now gave him; when Hagrid spoke, his every syllable trembled with rage.

"You never told him? Never told him what was in the letter Dumbledore left for him? I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it, Dursley! An' you've kept it from him all these years?"

"Kept _what _from me?" asked Harry eagerly.

"STOP! I FORBID YOU!" yelled Uncle Vernon in panic.

Both Aunt Petunia and Grace gasped, one in horror and the other at his nerve.

"Ah, go boil yer heads, both of yeh," said Hagrid. "Harry- yer a wizard."

There was silence in the hut. Grace didn't dare say a word. Only the sea and the whistling wind could be heard.

"I'm a _what?"_

"A wizard, Harry," Grace sighed. "Just like I'm a witch. I reckon you'll be a pretty good wizard too once you've learned a bit. With what I've heard about mum and dad, of course you'll be good. Hagrid do you have our letters?"

Harry stretched out his hand to at last receive the yellowish envelope. Grace took hers, which was addressed in emerald green to _Ms G Potter, The Floor, Hut-On-The-Rock, The Sea. _ She pulled out her letter expecting to see exactly the same as last year:

_Dear Ms Potter_

_Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross Station, platform nine and three quarters, at eleven 'o'clock._

_Third-years are permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade at certain weekends. Please give the enclosed permission form to your parent or guardian to sign._

_A list of books for next year is enclosed._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Professor M McGonagall,_

_Deputy Headmistress._

Grace groaned. No way was she going to get Uncle Vernon to sign a permission form in the middle of this mess. And Hogsmeade sounded like so much fun. There was Honeydukes, The Three Broomsticks, Zonko's Joke Shop, and The Shrieking Shack. Everyone else would have permission forms signed.

But on a brighter note she could spend Hogsmeade weekends with Harry.

So involved was Grace in her daydreams that she feel right back into the couch and fell straight asleep. There was no need to dream right then, she was in her perfect dream. She jerked awake half an hour later at a yell of "CAR CRASH?" but went straight back to sleep.

Another hour later Grace started up from her blissful sleep to Uncle Vernon yelling.

"I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH MAGIC TRICKS!" He yelled.

Even in her sleepy state Grace could see Hagrid was very angry as he seized his umbrella and whirled it over his head. "NEVER-" he thundered. "-INSULT- ALBUS- DUMBLEDORE- IN- FRONT- OF- ME!"

He brought the umbrella swishing down through the air to point it at Dudley- there was a flash of violet might, a sound like a firecracker, a sharp squeal and the next second, Dudley was dancing on the spot with his hands clasped over his fat bottom, howling in pain. When he turned his back to grace, she saw a curly pig's tail poking through a hole in his trousers.

Uncle Vernon roared. Pulling Aunt Petunia and Dudley into the other room, he cast a last terrified look at Hagrid and slammed the door on them.

Hagrid looked down at his umbrella and stroked his beard.

"Shouldn'ta lost me temper," he said ruefully. "but it didn't work anyway. Meant ter turn him into a pig, but I suppose he was so much like a pig anyway there wasn't much left ter do."

"Don't worry, Hagrid," Grace assured him. "We like him much more that way."

They both jumped as they had thought that she was still asleep.

"It's gettin' late and we've got lots ter do tomorrow," said Hagrid loudly. "Gotta get up ter town, get all yer books an' that."

He took off his thick black coat and threw it to Harry.

"You can kip under that," he said. "Don' mind if it wriggles a bi, I think I still got a couple o' dormice in one o' the pockets."

"C'mon Harry, I'll squish up a bit," Grace said gesturing for him to snuggle next to her as she moved over. He threw Hagrid's coat over the both of them; Grace wrapped her arm around Harry's shoulders so he laid his head on her shoulder.

Grace woke early the next morning and crawled out carefully from under Hagrid's coat so as to not disturb Harry. She stumbled over to a crack in the hut's walls and peered out at the clear sky. Last night seemed unreal, finally Grace didn't have to keep her magic a secret from Harry. She could truly be herself.

Behind her Harry stirred and opened his eyes.

"Hey warlock, how's it going," Grace greeted him.

"Grace did all of that really happen?" Harry asked. "Are you sure it wasn't a dream?"

"Yeah I'm pretty sure it isn't. After all I've spent two years at Hogwarts," Grace hesitated slightly before continuing. "Harry, I'm really really truly sorry that I never told you about magic or what really happened to mum and dad. To be honest I still have never got over finding out about that. Are we good?"

He smiled warmly at her and enveloped her in a bear hug just enjoying having each other. "I could never be mad at you Gracie. I love you big sis but I'm kinda sorry too."

"Why?" Grace asked, puzzled.

"Cause you've got to live with that face for the rest of your life," he replied cheekily, ducking out from the hug and running away.

"Why you naughty little birthday boy, I shall have to mess up your hair for that!"

As they raced around the hut, squealing with glee, an owl landed flew to the window, a newspaper in its beak. It started tapping but neither Grace nor Harry could hear.

_Tap. Tap. Tap. _It went.

"Grace!" said Harry loudly. "There's an owl."

He rushed over to the window to jerk it open. The owl swooped in dropped the newspaper in Grace's hands before fluttering to the couch and promptly attacking Hagrid's coat.

"Don't do that!" Harry shouted.

Harry tried to wave the bird away but it snapped its beak at him and kept on ravaging the coat. Grace rolled her eyes at him; she had experience with owls after all Trina could get really lost in her book and completely forget that she had to pay the owl.

"Hagrid," Grace called. "Your newspaper is here!"

"Pay him," Hagrid grunted.

"Yeah but where's your coins?" Grace asked in exasperation.

"Look in the pockets."

Hagrid's coat was made of nothing but pockets, making Graces job extremely difficult. Grace pulled out bunches of keys, slug pellets, balls of string, mint humbugs, bags of tea and finally a number of wizarding coins. She counted out five bronze Knuts put the money in a small leather pouch tied to the owls leg. As soon as it was paid the owl flew off through the window.

"See these little bronze coins are Knuts," Grace explained to Harry, showing him the coins. "They're not really worth much but you'll see more coins when we go shopping."

Hagrid yawned loudly, stood up and stretched.

"Best be off, lots ter do today, gotta get up to London an' buy all yer stuff fer school."

"But Grace, Hagrid, I don't have any money- and you heard Uncle Vernon last night- he won't pay for me to go and learn magic."

"I thought the same thing, harry," Grace assured him pulling her hair back into a neat bun. "To quote Hagrid here: D'yeh think yer parents didn't leave yeh with anything?"

"But if they're house was destroyed-?"

"They didn' keep their gold in the house, boy! Nah first stop fer us is Gringotts. Wizards' bank. Have a sausage, they're not bad cold- an' I wouldn' say no teh a bit o' yer birthday cake, neither."

"Wizards have _banks?_"

"Just the one. Gringotts. Run by goblins."

Harry dropped his bit of sausage.

"_Goblins?"_

"Yeah- so yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it, I'll tell yeh that. Never mess with goblins, Harry. Gringotts is the safest place in the world fer anything yeh want ter keep safe- 'cept maybe Hogwarts. As a matter o' fact, I gotta visit Gringotts anyway. Fer Dumbledore. Hogwarts business." Hagrid drew himself up proudly. "He usually gets me ter do important stuff fer him. Fetchin' you two- getting' things from Gringotts- knows he can trust me see."

"Got everythin' Come on then"

Grace followed Hagrid and Harry out onto the rock. The sky was clear now and the sea was gleaming in the sunlight. The boat that Uncle Vernon had hired was still bobbing quietly I the water, very wet after the storm.

"How did you get here?" Harry asked. Grace was wondering that too as she could see no broomstick or portkey and she was pretty sure Hagrid couldn't apparate.

"Flew," said Hagrid

"_Flew?" _Harry and Grace said together. Huh that must be a pretty strong broom.

"Yeah- but we'll go back in this. Not s'pposed ter use magic I've got yeh."

They settled down in the boat, although Grace was uncomfortable sitting on the wet wood.

"Seems a shame ter row though," said Hagrid, giving Harry a sideways glance. "If I was ter- Er- speed things up a bit, would yeh mind not mentionin' it at Hogwarts?"

"Of course not," said Harry, Grace rolled her eyes at his eagerness. Hagrid pulled out his pink umbrella, tapped it twice on the side of the boat and they sped off towards the land.

"Why would you be mad to try and rob Gringotts?" Harry asked.

"There are all sorts of spells and enchantments," Grace explained while Hagrid got out his newspaper. "Some people say that there are dragons guarding the really secure vaults. And it's like a huge underground maze too, you'd get lost real easy. But the building is pretty amazing too."

They sat in silence for a few minutes until Hagrid muttered, "Ministry o' Magic messin' things up as usual."

"There's a Ministry of Magic?" Harry asked.

"Course," said Hagrid. "They wanted Dumbledore fer Minister, o' course, but he'd never leave Hogwarts, so old Cornelius Fudge got the job. Bungler if ever saw one. So he pelts Dumbledore with owls every morning, askin' for advice."

"But what does the Ministry of Magic do?"

"well, their main job is to keep it from the Muggles that there's still witches an' wizards up an' down the country."

"Why?"

"_Why?_ Blimey, Harry, everyone'd be wantin' magic solutions to their problems. Nah we're best left alone."

At that moment the boat bumped gently into the harbour wall. Hagrid folded his newspaper and they clambered up the stone steps on to the street.

Passers-by stared a lot at Hagrid as they walked through the little town to the train station. Even though Hagrid wasn't doing a very good job at acting like a Muggle, (he kept pointing at Muggle objects such as parking meters and saying loudly: "See that, Harry? Things these Muggles dream up eh?") Grace still gave deathly glares at any who shot Hagrid a weird look. They may have been judging him by his size; he was twice as tall as anybody else.

"Grace," said Harry, panting as they struggled to keep up the Hagrid. "Did you say there are _dragons _at Gringotts?"

"Well, they say so," Grace said. "Personally I believe there is one there."

"Crikey I'd like a dragon," said Hagrid, causing Grace and Harry to stare at him in disbelief.

"You'd _like _one?"

"Wanted one ever since I was a kid- here we go."

They had reached the train station. A train to London was leaving in five minutes time. Hagrid, who didn't understand 'Muggle money' as he called it, gave the notes to Harry so he could buy the tickets. He and Grace stood off to the side for a moment.

"A dragon, Hagrid," Grace asked. "You'd really like a dragon?"

"Yeah," Hagrid said as a misty-eyed look came over his eyes. "Beautiful creatures, aren't they?"

Grace just rolled her eyes as they collected the tickets from Harry and boarded the train. People stared at Hagrid more than ever on the train. It didn't help that Hagrid took up two seats and sat knitting what looked like a canary-yellow circus tent.

"Still got yer letter, Harry?" he asked as he counted stiches.

Grace didn't bother getting her booklist out. She knew it would be all the same books as last year, just one level up. She didn't need much else; just a stock up of potions ingredients, a little look in _Witches Essentials,_ and she would have to find something for Harry's birthday.

Harry took his own envelope from his pocket.

"Good," said Hagrid. "There's a list of everything yeh need."

Harry unfolded the second piece of paper, his booklist, and began to read. Grace watched him, curiously, wondering how he would react to Diagon Alley.

After a moment he looked up from his reading and said, "Can we buy all this in London?"

"If yeh know where to go," said Hagrid.

Grace loved London. After a summer staying Miranda and roaming the city with Miranda's parents, she knew the streets of this area well. Hagrid didn't seem to like getting to Diagon Alley in the Muggle way. He got stuck in the ticket barrier on the Underground and complained loudly that the seats were too small and trains too slow.

"I don't know how the Muggles manage with magic," he said as they climbed the broken-down escalator, Grace somewhat delicately, which led up to the bustling road lined with shops.

Hagrid was so huge that he parted the crowd easily. Grace just had to keep close behind him and prevent anyone from walking into Harry. Grace took in the familiar surroundings. There was that hamburger bar that had the best milkshakes and the lolly shop Miranda's brother always dragged them out to. This one street was full of that one summer's memories. Grace could see the way Harry looked around as if he couldn't believe that something magical was just behind the old pub they were approaching. They stopped outside _The Leaky Cauldron _quite suddenly, so suddenly in fact that Harry ran into Hagrid.

"This is it," announced Hagrid. "the Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place."

Grace looked at the pub fondly.

Inside it was just as dark and shabby as usual. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to Tom the old barman, who was quite old and looked even more like a gummy walnut than two years ago. He low buzz of chatter stopped when they entered. Grace feared what Harry's reaction would be to his new fame.

"The usual, Hagrid?" Tom asked Hagrid

"Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," said Hagrid, clapping his great hand on Harry's shoulder. Grace winced in sympathy.

"Good Lord," said Tom, peering at Harry. "is this- can this be-?"

The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent. 'Here it comes,' Grace thought.

"Bless my soul," whispered Tom. "Harry Potter . . . what an honour."

He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed towards Harry and seized his hand, tears in his eyes.

"Welcome back, Mr Potter, welcome back."

Grace placed a protective hand on her brother's shoulder as he looked speechless. Everyone was looking at him. The old woman with the pipe was puffing on it without realizing it had gone out. Hagrid was beaming. There was a great scraping of chairs and next moment, Harry was shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron. Grace stayed close to him as the crowd engulfed him.

"Doris Crockford, Mr Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you at last."

"So proud, Mr Potter, I'm just so proud."

"Always wanted to shake your hand- I'm all of a flutter."

"Delighted, Mr Potter, just can't tell you, Diggle's the name, Dedalus Diggle."

"I've seen you before!" said Hagrid, startling Grace and certainly Mr Diggle whose hat fell off. "Yu bowed to me once in a shop."

"He remembers!" cried Mr Diggle, looking around at everyone. "Did you hear that? He remembers me!"

Harry shook hands again and again- Doris Crockford kept coming back for more. A pale young man made his way forward, very nervously. One of his eyes was twitching.

"Professor Quirrell!" said Hagrid. "Harry, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts."

"P-P-Potter," stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Harry's hand. "c-can't t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you."

Harry smiled nervously. "Are you the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, professor?" Grace inquired.

"Y-yes," muttered Professor Quirrell, as though he'd rather not think about it. "N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter?" he laughed nervously. "You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself." He looked terrified at the very thought.

But the others wouldn't let Professor Quirrell keep Harry to himself. It took almost ten minutes to get away from them all. At last, Hagrid managed to make himself heard over the babble.

"Must get on- lots ter buy. Come on Harry, Grace."

Doris Crockford managed to shake Harry's hand one last time before Grace pulled him away to follow Hagrid through the bar and into a small walled courtyard where there was nothing but a dustbin and a few weeds.

Hagrid grinned at Harry.

"Told yeh, didn't I? Told yeh you was famous. Even Professor Quirrell was tremblin' ter meet yeh-mind you, he's usually tremblin'."

"Is he always that nervous?" said Harry.

"Oh, yeah. Poor bloke. Brilliant mind. He was fine while he was studyin' outta books but then he took a year off ter get some first-hand experience . . . They say he met vampires in the Black Forest and there was a nasty bit o' trouble with a hag-never been the same since. Course he's a new teacher so he migh' be a bit nervous - now, where's me umbrella?"

Hagrid started counting the bricks in the wall above the dustbin.

"Three up . . . two across . . ." he muttered. "Right, stand back, Harry."

Grace moved back and waited eagerly as Hagrid tapped to brick three times.

The brick quivered-it wriggled- a small hole appeared- it grew wider and wider- a second later they were facing an archway large enough even for Hagrid, an archway onto a cobbled street which twisted and turned out of sight.

"Welcome," said Hagrid. "To Diagon Alley."

Grace with Hagrid at Harry's amazement. That was the same feeling she had the first time she walked through this archway.

The sun shone brightly shone brightly onto a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop, Grace squinted in the glare. _Cauldrons-All Sizes- Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver- Self-Stirring- Collapsible _said the sign hanging over them.

Grace looked round at everything there was to see. A pile of books outside _Flourish and Botts _looked new and crisp, tempting Grace to buy them. She was surprised when they passed an Apothecary; the price for a basic potions pack had gone up ten Knuts.

A low soft hooting came from _Eeylops Owl Emporium- Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown and Snowy. _A few shops down was _Witches Essential_. Grace peered inside at the range of hair decorations, beauty potions and clothes. A pack of Exploding Snap caught Grace's eye outside one shop. Harry might like to try some wizard's games.

"Gringotts," said Hagrid.

They had reached the snowy-shite building that towered above the other small shops.

"Yeah, that's a goblin," said Hagrid quietly as they walked up the stone steps. Harry did look a bit freaked out by the cunning little creatures that bowed to them as they passed.

Hagrid paused at the second pair of doors, silver this time, to let Harry read the poem. It scared Grace a tiny bit.

"Like I said, yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it," said Hagrid.

Another pair of goblins bowed them through these doors into the vast marble hall. A hundred more goblins sat on high stools behind a long counter, doing many different things with gold, silver and bronze coins; counting, examining, weighing. There were more doors leading off the hall and goblins were leading people through these. Harry, Grace and Hagrid made towards the counter.

"Morning," said Hagrid to a free goblin. "We've come ter take some money outta the Potter's safe."

"You have their key, sir?"

"Got it here somewhere," said Hagrid. He started emptying his pockets onto the counter, scattering a handful of mouldy dog-biscuits over the goblins book of numbers. The goblin wrinkled his nose. Grace eyed off some pretty diamond earrings on their left.

"Got it," said Hagrid at last, holding up a tiny golden key.

The goblin peered at it closely, as if to tell whether it was a fake.

"That seems to be in order."

"An' I've also got a letter from Professor Dumbledore," said Hagrid importantly, throwing out his chest. "It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."

The goblin slowly read the letter carefully.

"Very well," he said, handing it back to Hagrid. "I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!"

Griphook was another goblin with a sneering face. Once Hagrid had quickly crammed all of the dog biscuits back into his pockets, he, Harry and Grace followed Griphook through one of the doors of the hall.

"What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Harry asked Hagrid.

"Can't tell yeh that," said Hagrid mysteriously. "Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh that."

Grace looked at him curiously.

Together they stepped through the door Griphook was holding open for them into a narrow stone passageway lit with flickering flame torches. It sloped steeply downwards and little train tracks ran along the centre of the room. Griphook whistled and a small cart hurtled down the tracks towards them. They all climbed in, Hagrid with a bit of difficulty, and fly off into the dark.

Remembering her first trip in the Gringotts passageways Grace didn't bother even opening her eyes. And anyway the carts made her feel a slight bit queasy. Her eyes squeezed shut she could only hear the rattling of the cart.

She heard Harry call out, "I never know. What's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?"

"Stalagmite's got an 'm' in it,' said Hagrid. "An' don' ask me questions just now, I think I'm gonna be sick."

Grace opened her eyes when the cart jerked to a halt and climbed out. Hagrid was leaning against the wall looking extremely green.

Griphook inserted the key into the door and unlocked it. A lot of green smoke billowed out and as it cleared Harry gasped. Grace pulled out her moneybag from the shoulder bag she had with her.

"All yours," Hagrid smiled.

Grace laid a arm around Harry's shoulders and helped him pile some coins into a bag before collecting a few for herself.

"The gold ones are Galleons," she explained to him. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, it gets easy once you handle them a couple of times. That should probably be enough for this year. You can come back next summer too."

"Vault seven hundred and thirteen now, please," asked Hagrid to Griphook. "Can we go a bit more slowly?"

"One speed only," said Griphook.

Back on the cart Grace closed her eyes once again but could still feel the cat gathering speed. It got colder and colder. Grace wrapped her arms around herself to try and get warmer; fervently wishing she had a jumper with her.

The first thing Grace noticed at vault seven hundred and thirteen was that there was no keyhole.

"Stand back," ordered Griphook importantly. He stroked he door with one of his long-nailed fingers and it simply melted away.

"If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through the door and trapped in there," said Griphook.

"How often do you check if anyone's inside?" asked Harry.

"About once every ten years," said Griphook, rather nastily.

Grace looked at him, frowning, simply wondering how anyone could smile at that thought. Well whatever was in this vault had to be worth protecting if it had that much security. But when the door opened all that was there was a small grubby looking package. Hagrid picked it up and tucked it securely inside his coat. Grace wanted to ask but thought against it.

"Come on, back in this infernal cart, and don't talk to me on the way back, it's best if I keep me mouth shut," said Hagrid.

After another blind cart-ride they stood out in the bright sunlight on Diagon Alley. Grace wondered where they should go first, possibly robe shopping. Or maybe it was just Grace that liked shopping for clothes. Then again she needed some new jumpers and stockings this year so she might go to _Witches Essentials _by herself.

"Hey Hagrid," Grace started. "If Harry goes to Madam Malkin's first do you mind if I go to the witches' clothes shop?"

"Might as well," said Hagrid, nodding towards _Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions. _"Listen would yeh mind if I slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them Gringotts carts."

"I'll just be up the street, Harry," Grace said. "Don't worry, Madame Malkin is really nice."

A tinkling bell went off as Grace entered the brightly lit shop. A whole range of items were sold here. In the corner closest to the door were shelves of beauty products, the whole back wall was devoted to clothes; as well as more shelves in front of the wall and little stands for fittings, a few more shelves had jewellery and bags hanging on them and, Grace's favourite, racks of perfume and nail polish.

Grace was scanning along the racks of jumpers when a pretty light purple one caught her eye. She was pulling it over her head when someone jumped onto her shoulders. Temporarily seeing pastel purple before tugging on the jumper, she spun around to see Ciara throw her arms around Grace's shoulders. She was engulfed with sandy hair in her face and mouth.

"Ciara!" Grace screamed, returning the hug. "How are you? What are you doing here?"

"I'm good," she smiled. "What do you think I'm doing here? Shopping, of course."

"Oh I've missed you so much!"

"Not as much as I've missed you!"

"Hey guess what?" Grace squealed. "Harry got his letter!"

Ciara screamed. The lady at the counter looked over at them amusingly.

"Is he here now?" she whispered, very excited. "I mean, he is the Harry Potter?"

"No," said Grace firmly. "None of you are going to fangirl over my little brother."

Ciara looked disappointed.

"C'mon I'm going to buy this since my last jumper fell apart." Grace dragged Ciara over to the counter. "Where are your mums?"

"Off buying Rhys ice cream," Ciara waved away the question.

Around the counter were shorter racks and shelves containing drinks, lollies, records and magazines. Grace picked up the latest issue of _Witch Weekly,_ flicked through it and put it back. After purchasing the jumper, she and Ciara strolled into the sunlight and back down to _Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions. _ They sat under a colourful umbrella outside an ice cream shop, talking about the new school year. Hagrid came steadily out of _The Leaky Cauldron,_ stroking his beard. He headed over to where Ciara and Grace were sitting. Grace noticed that he was a lot less green than before.

"Ello Ciara," he greeted. "Like an ice cream Gracie?"

"Oh yes please Hagrid! Chocolate chip, please?" Grace requested.

A lady with dark grey hair and another with greying blonde hair walked out of the shop, smiling at Hagrid as they passed. A seven year old boy was jumping around behind them, licking his own lime ice cream.

"Ciara!," called the blonde-haired lady. "C'mon we're going home now."

Ciara rolled her eyes but hugged Grace and ran off calling "Love you, see in September!"

Hagrid returned with two ice creams, passed Grace one and returned for his own. They stood together by the window of the robe shop, waiting for Harry to come out. Harry was rather quiet while they were licking their ice-creams.

"What's up buttercup?" Grace asked and nudged him.

"Nothing." He replied. It was quite obvious he was lying but that he also didn't really want to talk about it.

They stopped to buy parchment and quills. Harry cheered up a bit when Grace showed him a bottle of ink that changed colour as you wrote. When they left the shop Harry asked: "Grace, what's Quidditch?"

After spending so long with Quidditch fanatics, like George, Fred, Hannah and Ciara, the question slightly shocked Grace. Luckily Hagrid answered for her.

"Blimey, Harry, I keep forgettin' how little yeh know- not knowin' about Quidditch!"

"Don't make me feel worse," said Harry. He told them about a boy he had met in Madam Malkin's. To Grace, he sounded just like Callidus Minos in her year.

"-And he said people from Muggle families shouldn't even be allowed in-"

" We're not a Muggle family!" Grace cried. "If he'd known who you _are _– I mean all of my friends know your name- if his parents were wizards of course he would! Anyway it doesn't even matter, some of best wizards or witches out there are Muggle-born. My best friends, Lara and Trynna, both born in Muggle families, are the most talented magical people I know."

"So what _is _Quidditch?"

"It's our sport. Wizard sport," Grace explained. "I don't think I'd be very good at explaining it, I'm not very good. It's played in the air on broomsticks and there's four balls and- and well it's kinda confusing. Everybody follows it, like football in the Muggle world."

"And what are Slytherin and Hufflepuff?"

"School houses," said Hagrid. "There's four. Gryffindor-"

"That's mine," Grace interrupted. She shyed away from Hagrid's look.

"Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o' duffers, but-"

"I bet I'm in Hufflepuff," said Harry gloomily. Grace frowned.

"Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin," Hagrid said darkly. "There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one."

"Vol- sorry- you-Know-Who was at Hogwarts?"

"Years an' years ago."

Next they went to Grace's favourite shop, Flourish and Botts. She loved the history books and the fiction books and the healer books and potions books and spell books. Maybe she just loved books. At one point Hagrid had to drag Harry away from a book entitled: _Curses and Counter-Curses_ by Professor Vindictus Viridian. Grace had read that book at school and regretted showing some of the curses to Fred and George.

Hagrid also wouldn't let Harry buy a solid gold cauldron, either. ("It says pewter on yer list") Grace restocked on Potions ingredients when they visited the Apothecary although she still didn't particularly like the place. The walls were lined with jars of herbs, dried roots and bright powders, barrels of slimy stuff sat on the floor, bundles of feathers, strings of fangs and snarled claws hung from the ceiling. And of course the rotten egg smell didn't make things much better.

Outside the Apothecary Hagrid checked Harry's list for him again.

"Just yer wand left- oh yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh a birthday present."

Grace smirked at Harry's red face.

"You don't have to-"

"I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what; I'll get yer an animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at- an' I don' like cats they make me sneeze. I'll get yer an owl. All the kids want owls; they're dead useful, carry yer post an' everythin'."

Twenty minutes later, they left Eeylops Owl Emporium, which had been dark and full of rustling and flickering, jewel-bright eyes. Harry now carried a large cage which held a beautiful snowy owl, fast asleep with her head under her wing. He kept stammering his thanks, in Grace's personal opinion, just like Professor Quirrell.

"Don' mention it," said Hagrid gruffly. "Don' expect you've had a lotta presents from them Dursleys. Just Ollivanders left now- only place fer wands, Ollivanders, and yeh gotta have the best wand."

Grace thought this was the perfect time to run off for Harry's birthday present. She had the most wonderful gift in mind.

"I'm just going to duck off for a bit," Grace told Hagrid and Harry. "I'll be back once you're done. Have fun!"

Grace turned around and wandered down to _Mogo's Sweetshop, _a very bright, happy shop filled with the smells of sugar and chocolate and the sounds of wizard children enjoying their sweets. Chocolate fudge soon made its way into Grace's bag so with a wide smile she left the shop.

Next was a section in _Flourish and Botts _containing games and entertainment. Seeing the books on classic pranks and jokes Grace thought that this was the only section of the bookshop Fred and George ever went to. She picked out a pack of Exploding Snap and Gobstones since Harry needed to be introduced to the world of wizard games. Also she grabbed a book: _Quidditch Rules including the Many Ways to Commit a Foul. _The sun beat down on her neck when Grace went to wrap the novelties in brown paper. To finish it off she drew swirling lines on the paper that continued to swirl all by themselves.

The sun was setting when she made it back to the narrow and shabby wand shop. Peeling gold letters over the door read _Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC. _Harry and Hagrid were just making their way out of the shop. Together they walked down the alley, through the wall, back through the Leaky Cauldron which was now empty. Grace noticed how quiet Harry was walking down the road and on the Underground. Personally it was quite amusing to see all the looks they were given for their funny- shaped packages poking every which way. They went up another escalator and into Paddington station.

"Want a bite ter eat before yer train leaves Gracie?" Hagrid asked as Harry looked around in thought.

"Just something small please," Grace said. "Oi Harry want something to eat?"

They sat down at the small café in the station. Grace had a box of fries while Harry munched on a hamburger. He kept looking around with a strange look on his face. Grace exchanged looks with Hagrid.

"You all right, Harry? Yer very quiet." Hagrid said.

"Everyone thinks I'm special," he said after a long time of thinking. "All those people in Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell, Mr Ollivander. . . . But I don't know anything about magic at all. How can they expect great things? I'm famous and I can't even remember what I'm famous for. I don't know what happened when Vol- sorry- I mean the night my parents died.

Grace was speechless. She knew the feeling of not knowing magic when she went to Hogwarts but the rest was unfamiliar. Some teachers, like Professor McGonagall, compared her to James and Lily but she hadn't survived the Killing Curse. People only whispered that she was the sister of Harry Potter. But when the whispers was directly about him, Harry wouldn't know what to do. And neither would Grace.

Hagrid had finished talking by the time Grace snapped out of her reverie. Hagrid was helping Harry onto the train and passing him his Hogwarts Express ticket. Grace and Harry sat down together, loading their shopping at their feet.

"Harry, I don't know how you feel about being famous." Grace started. "But you know you can always come to me. I'll show you some of the best places at Hogwarts to get away from everybody. Don't worry about not knowing magic, there's plenty of others who know absolutely nothing and turn out to be the top of the class. Just promise your not going to be a git now that you're famous?"

"Course not Gracie," Harry said with a grin. "Now rub my feet."

All he got was a pair of raised eyebrows and gentle punch to the shoulder. He erupted into a fit of laughter. Grace joined in, marvelling at how amazing the day had been.

**A/N: Finally over! I'll be a whole lot quicker next time. Next up is Harry's trip to Platform Nine and Three Quarters. Yay!**


	9. Where did Harry go?

**A/N: To my readers, sorry. I had done about half of this then got interrupted by life. So it'll be quicker going in the holidays. Thanks. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter because I'm not that great. J.K. Rowling is though.**

Chapter Nine: "Where did Harry go?"

Grace's last month was the Dursleys was a lot more fun than all the rest of her summers. Now that Dudley knew of her magic she couldn't mutter nonsense words under her breath and he would run away scared witless. Already he was scared of Harry, so much so that he wouldn't stay in the same room as him. They left Grace and Harry alone, not even punishing Grace for her snide comments at all.

Grace and Harry stayed in Harry's room most of the time. Harry opened his birthday present the night they got back from Diagon Alley and absolutely loved it. They had been playing Exploding Snap ever since. Harry almost always won. Although Grace didn't really like the idea of looking in a History of Magic textbook, that's where Harry found the name for his owl. Hedwig; beautiful, traditional, unique, just like the snowy owl she was. Honestly Grace didn't think she could be lovelier.

Grace had tried to ask Uncle Vernon for a lift to Platform Nine and Three Quarters on the last night of August but it didn't end so well.

"Uncle Vernon?" Grace started as she entered the living-room. Dudley lay in front of the TV watching mindless rubbish. He squealed and crawled behind the couch when he saw Grace, making her roll her eyes. Uncle Vernon merely grunted to acknowledge she was there. "Can Harry and I please get a lift to London tomorrow?"

After a second of enduring his sneering glare, Uncle Vernon nodded.

"Okay thanks, we'll catch the train from King's Cross"

"Isn't the train a funny way to get to wizard school," he close to taunted. "Why not go on a flying carpet or broomstick."

"Uncle Vernon do you know how uncomfortable broomsticks are?" Grace said with raised eyebrows. "And anyway flying carpets are illegal."

"And you always follow the rules don't you? Listen girl I don't want any _owls _coming to my house informing me of your detentions this year."

At this point Grace had frozen. She knew that if she yelled at her Uncle she and Harry won't get a lift. Her anger was in control, through deep steady breaths, until she turned to leave the room and heard Uncle Vernon's next comment. "Hope they use the cane at that school," he muttered.

"NO THEY DO NOT USE A BLOODY CANE!" Grace shrieked. "I'll have you know that I only get detention when I take my friends punishments. I work hard and I also know for a fact that all of the students at Hogwarts combined are smarter than your idiot of a son."

With that Grace stormed out of the room, running up the stairs two at a time, then into Harry's room. He looked up from one of his school books as Grace started pacing the room. Patient as he was he did look like he wanted to know what happened.

"I yelled at Uncle Vernon," she admitted. "I'm not so sure we've got a ride anymore."

"I'll talk to him Gracie," Harry said. He left the room, leaving Grace to read his Charms book.

She was just reminiscing on how easy first year was when Harry returned.

"He'll take us there," he said. "He has to get Dudley's tail removed anyway."

They both started laughing at the thought of Dudley's small piggy tail. The night went quickly bye, spent by Grace teaching Harry how to play Gobstones. Grace had pulled down the posters from her wall and gathered up the small personal belongings from her bedside table. As there was actually no room in her bedroom for a wardrobe; all of her clothes were stored in her trunk in the summer. She laid her clothes (a tight floral dress with straps) out for tomorrow out on the shelf above her bed so that she could get ready quickly.

By seven' o'clock the next morning Grace and Harry's trunks were loaded into Uncle Vernon's sleek car. Somehow, through much pleading and promises of candy, Aunt Petunia had persuaded Dudley to sit next to Harry. Maybe he was more scared of Grace than Harry.

Uncle Vernon jerked to a halt outside King's Cross Station. He hauled Harry and Grace's trunks out of the car, dumping them on the sidewalk, and drove off. Grace and Harry exchanged looks.

"He's never going to change is he?" Harry asked. Grace just shook her head.

Together they grabbed luggage trolleys and pushed off into the crowd of people boarding trains.

Grace was looking up at the platform signs when she spotted a familiar, curly brown-haired girl fighting with a smaller, very similar looking boy. The girl was pushing a trolley with a Hogwarts trunk and a wicker cat basket containing a mewling white kitten.

"Miranda!" Grace yelled.

Miranda Heathridge looked around at her best friend at stopped fighting her little brother to come over and hug Grace.

" Ohai Grace!" she said.

"How's my little Bellus?"

Miranda pulled the kitten out from the basket and stroked her. "She and the family cat fight all the time. It was kinda scary. How were your holidays?"

Grace stopped cooing over Bellus and looked up to smirk at her. "Well a certain letter came over the holidays. Miranda meet Harry."

Grace turned to introduce Harry to Miranda but all she saw was a middle aged man talking hurriedly on the phone. Harry and Hedwig had disappeared.

"Miranda, where did Harry go?" Grace whispered in a panic. Miranda looked back at her with wide eyes. "WHERE DID HARRY GO?"

Grace's eyes scanned the crowd for her little brother but with a crowd of this size and how fast they were moving it was impossible to find him. She spun in a circle but no one caught her eye. Despair engulfed her. His first day truly in the magical world and he might not even get to school.

Grace latched onto Miranda's arm and pushed their trolleys over to Yvette and George; Miranda's family. "Well hello there Grace how are you?" greeted Yvette cheerfully.

"Hi, Yvette, have you seen a short boy, George's height, messy black hair, round glasses, green eyes?"

"No haven't seen anyone like that," she replied.

"Oh gosh oh gosh I've lost my brother." Grace gasped.

"Could he have gone on the platform already?" Miranda asked worryingly.

"No I never told him how to get on the platform!" Grace said anxiously.

"Well then he would still be heading over near platform nine right?" said Yvette.

"Oh right yeah of course," Grace said. That made a whole lot more sense than her scrambled brain was thinking. She pushed her trolley down the station, looking at every person she passed. So far she couldn't see Harry. Why did he go? Did he just walk off and get lost? Oh no oh no oh no.

Grace arrived at the barrier between platforms nine and ten, trailed by Miranda, George and Yvette, but she still hadn't seen Harry.

"Grace look it's the Weasleys." Miranda pointed out. "Maybe they've seen him."

As they approached the large group of redheads Grace saw him. Running at the barrier between platforms nine and ten was a small black haired boy.

"That's him!" Grace screamed. Mrs Weasley turned around at her scream. She was a plump woman with cheerful face and curly red hair held back by a woollen hat.

"Grace, dear!" Mrs Weasley said. "Oh dear you look much too skinny, just like that boy who just went through. Have you been fed well?"

"Yes Mrs Weasley," replied Grace, refraining from rolling her eyes. "But that boy who just went through, he's my brother, and I really need to follow him."

She bid Mrs Weasley farewell, told Miranda she would meet her on the train and thanked Yvette and George for helping her find Harry before she turned around and ran at the barrier. She didn't hit the metal but rather melted through, like a knife sliding through warm butter, and emerged onto platform nine and three quarters.

If it was even possible the platform was even more packed than the one she had just left. Steam from the scarlet _Hogwarts Express _billowed over the crowd of young witches and wizards meeting again after the summer. Grace waved at some people she knew although none of her really close friends appeared. She pushed though the trolleys holding cat baskets and owl cages until she saw Harry at the train's door, struggling to get his trunk on the train. Just one Grace saw him he dropped the trunk on his foot.

"Want a hand, Harry?" Grace asked as she approached him.

He looked up at her and smiled sheepishly.

"Yes, please," he panted. Together they heaved the trunk up the stairs, tucked into the corner of his compartment. Grace also grabbed her trunk to place in the compartment temporarily. They collapsed on leather cushioned seats, panting heavily.

"So what did happen before?" Grace said.

"I don't know one minute you were there and the next you weren't and I couldn't see you anymore," said Harry. "I went to platform nine and I heard that lady talk about muggles so I asked her if she knew how to get onto the platform. And she did so I got on."

"I was really worried about you," Grace stressed. "But I guess you did get here alright."

Suddenly two identical red-haired twins appeared at the door.

"Hiya Gracie," they said.

"Hey Fred, George," Grace said. "Harry these two are Fred and George. Boys this is my brother-"

"Blimey," said Fred. "Are you-?"

"He _is_," said George. "Aren't you?"

"What?" said Harry. Grace buried her face in her hands.

"_Harry Potter,"_ chorused the twins.

"Oh, him," said Harry. "I mean, yes, I am."

They started to gawk at Harry, particularly his scar. Grace opened her mouth to tell them off when a voice came floating through the open train door.

"Fred? George? Are you there?"

"Coming, mum."

With a last look at Harry and a wave to Grace the twins left.

"Those are the boys I was telling you about," Grace explained. "They kind of are a bit insane."

"Yeah I saw them joking with their mother before."

"I don't understand how Mrs Weasley lives with them. I barely can."

Harry looked at the window at the Weasleys farewell. Currently Fred and George were teasing their little brother for dirt on his nose.

"So, Harry," Grace said as she leaned back into the comfortable seats. "Are you excited?"

"Course I am," he said. "I am really nervous about what house I'll be in though."

"Nah, don't worry about it," said Grace. "The sorting ceremony is probably the easiest thing you'll do at Hogwarts. And everybody always goes into the right house."

"What were the houses?"

"There's Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor; my house."

"What are the classes?" Harry asked eagerly

"Well in first year you learn Transfiguration, Charms, History of Magic, Potions, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Astronomy and Herbology. Oh and they'll teach you how to fly a broom but you won't be able to join the quidditch team yet."

"Awesome do you learn anything else?"

"Well I'm doing the Study of Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures. You can take other classes in third year."

"Oh cool, sounds like -" Harry cut off as he heard his name drifting in through the open window.

Grace heard Fred and George's little sister's voice.

"Oh, Mum can I go on the train an see him, Mum, Oh please."

"You've already seen him,Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you goggle at in a zoo. Is he really Fred? How do you know?"

Grace glanced over to see how Harry was taking the fact everyone knew his name but he seemed to be fine, just interested.

"Asked him. Grace has told me before. Saw his scar too. It's really there- like lightning.

"Poor _dear- _no wonder Grace was worried. He was ever so polite when he asked how to get on the platform."

"Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks like?"

Grace frowned. If Fred did ask that she would slap him very hard across the face.

"I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though he needs reminding of that on his first day at school."

"Alright, keep your hair on."

A whistle sounded across the platform. Harry and Grace turned their attention away from Weasleys while they said their final goodbyes. They became quiet as together they wished they could say goodbye to their parents. This was always the worst part of the trip for Grace.

"Are your friends already on the train?" Harry asked me.

"I don't know but I guess I can see them once we arrive."

Platform guards walked along the platform, starting to shut all of the train doors, as the last students clambered onto the train and waved goodbye to their parents.

The train slowly gathered energy to start its journey. Ginny Weasley ran along the side of the tracks until she could no longer keep up. The train rounded a corner and the platform disappeared. Grace felt the familiar surge of excitement that always come with going to Hogwarts.

As the train was passing rows of neat houses, their carriage door slid open. In the doorway stood Fred and George's younger brother, just as red-haired and freckly as the rest of them.

"Do you mind if I sit here? Everywhere else is full."

Harry shook his head and the boy sat opposite to Harry. He glanced at Harry, then looked down and out the window as if it had never happened. Grace noticed there was a black mark on his nose.

"Hey Ron."

The twins were back at the door.

"Listen we're going down to the middle of the train- Lee Jordon's got a giant tarantula down there."

"Gross!" exclaimed Grace. The twins snickered.

"Well Harry have a nice trip," Fred said. "Oh and this is our little brother, Ron. Anyway see you later. Grace you coming?"

"Yeah gimme a sec," Grace replied. "Harry will you be alright with Ron? Do you mind if I go and avoid Lee Jordon?"

"Yeah I'll be fine."

"Okay I'll come back and say hi again later. I love you Harry, Have fun Ron.'

She heaved her trunk out of the compartment and rolled it down the corridor. Behind her Ron and Harry said simultaneously, "Bye."

"Oi, boys," she called out. The twins turned around. "What compartment are the girls in?"

"Just down there, sure you don't want us to visit with our little furry friend?" George said mischievously.

"Don't you dare!" Grace yelled at them. She ran away into a room full of girls she knew and loved. Sitting on top of each other by the window were sandy- haired Ciara and bubbly Trina. Next to them Lara read through one of their newest school books, her short hair falling in front of her glasses. Opposite them sat Miranda and Hannah, sharing the latest copy of _Witch Weekly, _both of their hair was tied up in a ponytail, one black, one curly brown.

A welcoming of "hi Gracie" s met Grace's ears.

"Hey guys, what's going on?" she made out meekly.

Her trunk went up with the others and she settle in a window seat across from Trina and Ciara.

"Well currently we're hiding in here because Lee decided it would be fun to have a giant spider around," Lara explained.

"Oh great," Grace's sarcasm was very obvious. "Miranda doesn't your brother start this year?"

"Nah, next year," she said, barely raising her eyes from the magazine. Her eyes widened as she thought about what Grace had said. "Your brother's starting this year though?"

"OH MY GOSH WE SHOULD GO AND MEET HIM!" Trina screamed. Everyone looked up eagerly.

"No!" Grace jumped up and blocked the door. "I don't want him to rampaged on his day of school. He didn't even know he was famous until a month ago!"

"Grace, relax," Ciara assured her. "We would never be that terrible, the boys probably would but you know we'll treat him like he's our little brother."

"Is there any reason you're blocking the door?" Jesse asked from doorway. He looked just as great as usual with his pale blonde hair flopping into his pale blue eyes.

"Oh sorry," Grace muttered.

Slowly the boys wandered back in to lounge around casually. Jesse rested his head on Lara's shoulder as Lee collapsed between Ciara and Trina. Fred stretched his legs out over Miranda's lap and his twin took the remaining space, leaving Grace to sit on top of him. Once the spider had been safely locked away in Lee's trunk the conversation started on anything and everything.

After a few hours the atmosphere got less than happy when the door slid open to reveal a Slytherin girl who they knew all too well.

"Hey Potter I heard your little brother's on the train," Helena Oves sneered. "Is it true? The famous _Harry Potter?_"

"Helena you listen very carefully," Grace whispered slow and quiet. "If you dare touch one hair on my brother's head I will hurt you so bad that you'll wish you were never born."

Helena glanced around the room of Gryffindors glaring at her venomously, gave one last smirk at left.

"Glad the Devil left," George joked.

A second later Helena returned, this time with two Slytherin boys, John Rookwood and Callidus Minos.

"Spoke to soon," George announced.

"Heard one of you threatened one of us," Callidus started. "Can't have that now can we?"

"So you went crying into big Callidus' arms now did you?" Lara cooed at Helena who pulled herself upright arrogantly.

"Get out Minos," Fred told Callidus.

"Don't think I will," Callidus drawled. "Maybe John and I will just settle down."

"It'll be crowded and small," John commented. "You'll be used to that Weasley."

The twins sat up straight, pulling their wands out as they did.

"One more word Rookwood," George growled. Hannah and Lara shared worried glances.

"Alright we'll leave," Callidus said. "Wouldn't want to get Mudblood germs all over my new robes anyway."

The effect was instantaneous. Hannah, Miranda and Ciara all gasped. This time the boys all got up with their wands up, ready for a fight. Grace, Trina and Lara merely looked around in confusion. Whatever a Mudblood was it must be really terrible.

"Girls sorry you have to see this," Lee remarked.

Next thing they knew, Fred and Lee had launched themselves onto John, flattening to the ground while the tried to think of some sort of jinx or hex. Jesse on the other hand, fired a Jellyleg jinx at Callidus, who blocked it but was immediately hit by another from George. The yells and screams were enough to attract a nearby Ravenclaw prefect.

"What's going on here?" the sixth year ordered. Nobody gave an answer. Fred, Lee and John were still rolling the floor. "Fighting on the train! It's despicable! I can't believe you boys are even related to Percy!"

The twins weren't very impressed with the last comment.

"Out!" the prefect shooed away the Slytherins.

"That was a stupid thing to do," Ciara told the boys.

"What even is a Mudblood?" Trina asked. "I mean it's a this fuss over a word."

"It's not just a word Trina,' Jesse murmured. "It basically means dirty blood. Like because you've got Muggle parents you're worth less or nothing at all. Families like the Minos's and Rookwood's all think they're better than everybody else. It's not right."

"Well thanks for standing up for us I guess," Trina said meekly.

Luckily the sweets trolley arrived just in time. Grace bought her usual pumpkin pasty and chocolate frog but stored away a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans for later. The compartment was silent as each third year munched away at whatever lunch they had. Once all the off the sweets were eaten and wrappers thrown away, Grace stood.

"I'm going to go visit my brother," she announced. "Anyone want to join me?"

"Meh, we've met him," Fred shrugged.

All of the girls stood and trooped off down the corridor. Part way there they were stopped by a young bushy-haired buck-teethed girl.

"None of you have seen a toad by any chance?" she asked.

"Honey," Ciara started. "I'm sorry if you're a Muggle-born and don't know this but _no-one _brings toads anymore. So no we haven't."

The girl huffed. "I am Muggle born but it's not me who lost the toad."

She turned away to start asking more people if anyone had seen the toad. Ciara made a funny face at the girl's back. All of the other's thought it was funny until the girl turned back around and saw her. They moved away from her glare into Harry and Ron's carriage. Both of them looked like they had just got changed into their Hogwarts robes.

"Hi Harry, Ron," Grace greeted.

"Hi Grace," they said together. They glanced around at the group of girls who had settled down in the seats, some on top of each other.

"Harry these are my friends and roommates," Grace introduced. "Trina, Lara, Hannah, Ciara and Miranda."

Harry and Ron in turn got introduced to the girls. Grace stayed for a while longer until Hannah said; "We should probably head back and get changed."

"Yeah meet you guys there," Grace told them as each trailed out and said their goodbyes. "Harry, Ron, just forget anything the twins told you, the sorting is easy. It doesn't even matter what house you get in. I'll see you at the Welcome feast. Have fun. Love ya."

After a mere thirty minutes the train rolled into the Hogsmeade station. Grace smiled encouragingly at Harry as he walked off with Hagrid.

"Grace!" Lara called from the carriages, the carriages which were currently leaving without her. She jogged up to her friends, threw her trunk in and leaped in with her friends.

The carriages passed through Hogsmeade, ('If only I could come on the weekend trips,' Grace thought') into the Hogwarts grounds and stopping at the huge oak doors. They pushed through the bustling crowd to find seats and the Gryffindor table.

"Errgh I don't care about the sorting just let me eat," Lee complained.

"Yes I want to eat," grumbled Miranda.

"Calm down guys," Grace laughed. "It won't be that long."

After a few more minutes, the doors to the great hall swung open to reveal Minerva McGonagall leading a group of tiny, timid first years.

**A/N: Yay! Harry's going to get sorted! I'll be quicker next time! I promise! Please review!**


	10. Gryffindor for the Win!

**A/N: Wow that was quicker than before. But anyway here it is. Hope you have fun.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter because I could never be that wonderful. **

Chapter Ten: Gryffindor for the Win!

Professor McGonagall guided the first years up to the table where the staff sat. As usual there was a four-legged stool waiting for each scared little first year to place the sorting hat on their head. The first years themselves were terrified, not helping by the flickering candlelight reflected over their pale faces. At the moment their main interest seemed to the enchanted ceiling, which tonight was a velvety black dotted with silvery stars.

Grace had always liked the ceiling. It made her feel open, like the Great Hall opened up to the heavens.

They first years slowly came to halt and formed a line, in front of the stool, on top of which McGonagall placed the patched, frayed and just plain dirty pointed wizard's sorting hat. Everyone in hall was staring at the hat.

For a second there was complete silence. Then the hat ripped open and began to sing:

'_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_If you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or Perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!'_

The hall burst into applause while the hat bowed to each of the four houses in turn. Quiet settled over the hall once more. By the looks of their faces and heir whispering the first years were mixtures of relieved and nauseous.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward, holding a long piece of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

The hall waited in anticipation ad a pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of the line to put on the hat. After a moment's pause-

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The Hufflepuff table cheered and clapped for Hannah. The Fat Friar waved merrily down the table at her.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again.

Additions were made to the Ravenclaw and Slytherin tables before the Gryffindors had a reason to cheer. "Brown, Lavender" was the first Gryffindor for the night. Grace and her friends were, of course the loudest amongst their whole house, especially with Fred and George's catcalling.

"Bulstrode, Millicent."

Grace tuned out at this point. Around her several of her friend's stomachs were growling loudly. She was starting to dream of beef cooked in thick gravy when Miranda nudged her side.

"Hey, look it's the girl from the train," she whispered. "Bet she's a Ravenclaw."

"What was her name?"

"Umm. . . I think it was Hermione. Yeah Hermione Granger."

Well Hermione Granger was certainly very eager. She nearly _ran _to the stool before jamming the hat down on her head.

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. Grace and Miranda exchanged astounded glances though they did welcome Hermione to their house with smiles and high- fives. Eventually though even Neville Longbottom forgetting to take the hat off on the way to the Gryffindor table couldn't keep Miranda and Grace amused for very long. They ended up making a game out of who could guess what house the first years would be sorted into. When Grace told Miranda about Harry's encounter with Draco Malfoy in Madam Malkin's, both of them bet that he would be a Slytherin. Sure enough the hat had barely touched his head before it shouted out "SLYTHERIN!"

They continued in this way until McGonagall started to call out the 'P's. Grace barely noticed where "Perks, Sally-Anne," went because the next name called out was "Potter, Harry."

Whispers broke out around the hall, like a great big snake hissing at a predator. Only it wasn't a predator stepping forward; it was Grace's little brother, Harry, who looked so damn scared in that moment. Grace was too. It wasn't that she cared what house he went in, it was that she wanted him to be happy.

Without even realizing it Grace grabbed Miranda's hand. No-one stirred across the hall as Harry sat patiently. Another minute passed and the hat still hadn't made a decision. Her grip on Miranda's hand became tighter. And tighter.

At last the hat screamed, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Uproar rang across the hall. The Gryffindors were stamping their feet, banging on the table, clapping and cheering. Harry got the loudest cheer yet. Percy Weasley had gotten up to shake Harry's hand enthusiastically while Fred, George, Lee and Jesse shouted up and down the table, "We got Potter! We got Potter!" Trina, Lara, Hannah, Ciara and Miranda were whistling, screaming and clapping all at the same time. But Grace couldn't see any of it through the tears clouding her eyes. The moment he was close enough, she gathered Harry up in a tight hug, which he returned happily. They both settled down to watch the three first years left get Sorted.

"Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw then it was Ron Weasley's turn. He was pale green after the long wait. Harry was crossing his fingers but Grace could guarantee the outcome. A second later the hat had shouted: "GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry was clapping loudly with the three other Weasleys at the table. Ron looked like he was going to faint when he plopped down on the chair on Harry's other side.

Finally, after "Zabini, Blaise," had been sorted into Slytherin Professor McGonagall rolled up her parchment, collected the Sorting Hat and walked away to let Professor Dumbledore take his place. He was beaming widely, his arms open wide in welcome, in the way only a really great Headmaster could do.

"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

He sat back down as the hall filled with laughter. Harry looked around uncertainly.

"Is he- a bit mad?" he asked Grace.

"Course he is, Harry!" Grace said distractedly as the golden plates had filled up with food of every different sort and she was busy filling up her plate. "He's a genius, generally the best wizard in the country- or maybe even the world! But yeah mad. Do you want some potatoes?"

Harry's mouth fell open. Grace laughed at his stunned expression.

He filled up his plate with everything with sight except for the mint humbugs. 'Fair enough' Grace thought. She turned to join in Hannah, Ciara, Lee and the Weasley twins' conversation on Quidditch.

"So Hannah," Grace asked. "Are you going to try-out for the team this year?"

"Yeah definitely," she enthused. "I mean there's no point not trying out."

"Well at least that dirt bag, Zacharias has left," Ciara pointed out. "He was a terrible captain."

"Well he did know talent when he saw it," boasted Fred. Miranda rolled her eyes.

"He let his girlfriend on the team instead of Hannah!" Grace argued. "That's just not right!"

Hannah smiled gratefully at her. "Does anyone know who the new captain will be?"

"Yeah it's Oliver Wood," Lee informed them. "He told us on the train."

"Well he's a great player and he's fair," reasoned Ciara while Fred and George threw mints into each other's mouths.

"And he's looking extra cute this year," Trina giggled, waving at Oliver down the table.

George having just caught a mint in his mouth, heard the last part, started laughing but choked on the mint. Fred laughed with all of the others as he thumped his twin's back.

"Ouch!" Harry gasped from next to her. His hand was clutching his forehead.

"Are you alright?" Grace worried. "What's wrong?"

"Just a twinge," he assured her. "Nothing."

There was most likely more to it than then he was letting on, but maybe he noticed how Lara and Ciara were watching them out of the corner of their eyes.

"Who's the teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?"

"Oh him," Grace said darkly. "That's Professor Snape, the Potions teacher. More like tormentor though. Favours the Slytherins and hates everyone else. He's very interested in the Dark Arts. For years now he's been trying to get the Defence Against the Dark arts job."

Eventually the puddings disappeared and Professor Dumbledore stood to deliver his final speech. The hall fell silent before he even opened his mouth.

"Ahem- just a few more words now we are all fed and watered. I have a few start of term notices to give you.

First years should note that the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that."

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes were directed at Fred and George, making the girls around them laugh and they grin unashamedly.

"I have also been asked by Mr Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.

And finally, I must tell you that this year; the third floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Harry laughed but Grace didn't join in. She frowned.

"Is he serious?" Harry asked her.

"Must be," she replied. "I don't know why though. I mean he doesn't just tell us not to go somewhere. There's usually a reason."

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore cried out. Grace laughed. She loved the school song and always had fun singing it.

Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick and out came a long golden ribbon which rose high above the tables and twisted into words.

"Everyone pick their favourite tune," continued Dumbledore. "and off we go!"

Grace slung her arm around Harry's shoulders and joined in with the rest of the school and they bellowed:

"_Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

_Teach us something please,_

_Whether we be old and bald_

_Or young with scabby knees,_

_Our heads could do with filling_

_With some interesting stuff._

_For now they're bare and full of air,_

_Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

_So teach us things worth knowing,_

_Bring back what we've forgot,_

_Just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

_And learn until our brains all rot."_

Grace finished the song early at an upbeat, happy tune. Fred and George finished by themselves to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted the last few lines with his wand; Grace joined in with him clapping the loudest of all.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping away tears. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

"Goodnight Harry," Grace hugged him. Percy would lead the first-years up to the common room. And anyway, Grace would most likely collapse straight into her bed anyway. "Have a good sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

"Night Gracie," he said back to her.

He walked with Ron and the other Gryffindor first years, with Percy in the lead, to the common room. Grace watched them for a bit until Ciara tugged on her shoulder.

"C'mon Gracie," she said. "Fred and George want to show us another new passageway they found on the last day. Even quicker to get upstairs for us lazy bums."

Grace followed her friends out of the hall and up the marble staircase. They followed the first years and the rest of the flow up until the second floor where the twins led them off to one side.

"In here," George whispered. He was holding aside the tapestry of Merlin that Grace had always thought he looked quite ugly in. Once through the small gap the girls stood gaping at the spiral staircase that wound all the way from the dungeons to the seventh floor where they were heading. It was tiny and cramped but still beautifully designed.

"Fred, George, how are we supposed to climb all of those stairs?" Trina asked indigently.

"Well he's the trick," Fred said with a wink. He tapped the stairs banister with his wand and muttered, "Conversus."

The staircase slowly, with a creak and groan, began to turn by itself, like an elevator in the Muggle world. The girls grinned at one another and, instead on standing on the stairs, sat on them while it spiralled closer to the top. The boys decided it would be fun to try and run down the stairs as the stairs went up.

In less than five minutes they reached the seventh floor. The exit turned out to be in the corridor on the Fat Lady's portrait. This time it was covered by a tapestry of Godric Gryffindor.

Lee had found out the password from a prefect downstairs. With mumbled goodnights they all dragged themselves up to their separate dormitories. Grace somehow managed to find her pyjamas in her trunk before falling over in her bed.

"So you happy Grace?" Miranda asked from the bed next to hers.

"Yeah Harry's in Gryffindor and everything's good."

"Well Gryffindors a pretty good house, I reckon," Miranda's tired voice slurred back.

"Yeah Gryffindor for the win!" Trina yelled through the curtains of her four poster bed.

**Yay! Please review! Thanks!**


	11. Surprises of Good and Bad

**A/N: Here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Harry Potter belongs to J. .**

Chapter Eleven: Surprises of Good and Bad

The sunshine shone through the gaps left by the light curtains hanging over the windows in the third year girl's dormitory of the Gryffindor tower. Grace stretched her arms above her head as she woke.

After getting dressed in her school robes and waking all of her dorm-mates, she descended the marble staircase for breakfast. Harry was sitting with Ron in a secluded area of the hall to escape all attention. So far everyone Grace had passed on her way down seemed to whisper about the Boy Who Lived and his sister who many had simply thought of as the Weasley twin's friend.

"Morning Harry," she greeted wearily. "How was your room?"

"It's amazing Grace, much better than a cupboard," he replied.

"That's good. I'm hoping it was. What classes have you got today?" Grace peered over at the timetable that had just been handed to him by Professor McGonagall.

"Transfiguration and History of Magic. Are they alright?"

"Well Transfiguration is taught by Professor McGonagall and she's really strict. But as long as you pay attention and don't muck up its quite fun," Grace paused and realized Ron was listening to her advice as well. "In History of Magic . . . well . . . it's boring and there's nothing you can do to help that."

Miranda sat next to Grace, picking up her discarded toast for herself.

"Well we'd better get going," Harry said and stood up. Ron stood beside him and they left the hall together.

Grace's classes for that day were Charms and Potions. As usual Hannah excelled at every task they were set with Lara close behind her. When Professor Flitwick reached Grace's name on the roll his eyes lit up he squeaked something about Harry and fell over. All through the lesson her classmates came up to her and asked what her brother was like. Even though they had asked exactly the same questions two years ago.

"Look neither Harry nor I remember what our parents were like so don't ask!" Grace yelled at a Ravenclaw fourth year. From that point on Ciara, Trina and Lara raised their wands at anyone who came close and the boys threatened people with dungbombs.

Potions was much the same as the year before, if not worse. Professor Snape continued to hate every one of the Gryffindors, Grace perfected the potion that they were making and Fred and George got twenty points taken off in one lesson. Grace wasn't sure what for. Maybe it had something to do with experimenting with new potions ingredients.

On Wednesday Grace, Miranda, Lara, Hannah, Lee and the twins experienced Care of Magical Creatures with Professor Kettleburn for the first time. The class full of Gryffindors and Slytherins gathered on the bank of the Black Lake in the sunshine. On a low trestle table bounced round, custard coloured balls of fur.

"Hey I know what hat is!" Fred exclaimed. The girls looked at him in surprise. "It's a Puffskein; Ron used to have one but I used it for Bludger practise." Grace gasped in horror.

"You are correct, Mr Weasley," said a tall, muscular man who came limping on a wooden leg. "These are indeed Puffskeins. Delightful little creatures as they are; I thought they would be a nice way to spend your first lesson. My name is Professor Kettleburn and I shall be your Care of Magical Creatures teacher at Hogwarts. Now who can tell me what the purpose of Puffskeins is?"

"They make great pets for young wizarding children," Lara supplied.

"Excellent, excellent, 10 points to Gryffindor," praised Professor Kettleburn. "This year we will mostly be dealing with creatures that can be domesticated or creatures that can be overpowered if there is need. I don't like giving out much homework as this is mostly a practical class but you will be expected to read up on creatures before we practise dealing with them. Your task for today is to play with the Puffskeins; if they start humming then you know they are contented. Points will be taken off your house if any of you decide to use the Puffskeins for Bludger practise."

Fred, George and Lee chuckled but stopped as the girls glared at them.

For the next hour Grace cuddled a particularly tiny Puffskein, patting it until a low humming could be heard. Lara and Hannah were rolling theirs on the ground together, giggling all the while. Lee, Fred and George thought that they would be fun to play catch with.

Their first Muggle Studies lesson on Thursday wasn't as relaxing. Professor Burbage started off by giving them a lecture on how Muggles were not so different from ourselves and we should treat them as much. Grace agreed completely, just not in the case of Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and Dudley.

"To understand Muggles we need to go back to the time when wizards had to go underground, what drew them there and what Muggles belief of magic is today. Next year we will cover Muggle history in Britain from the when witches and wizards existed peacefully in Muggle society and the burning of our kind to Muggle kings and their First World War. For now we are going to study how they survive without magic and what they use instead of magic."

"Did you notice how there were no Slytherins in the class?" Lara asked as they headed down to lunch.

"Probably too engrossed in their Pureblood mania to care," Miranda scowled.

"Quidditch trials are on Saturday," Grace commented. "Do you guys want to watch?"

"Yeah we should eat breakfast down by the lake in the morning," Lara planned excitedly.

"But there's still Friday to go through," Miranda pointed out sadly.

"Grace! Grace!" Harry yelled as he sprinted towards her. "I've got great news! But you can't tell.'

"What Harry what is it?"

"I'm the new Gryffindor Seeker!" he whispered. "But Oliver said to keep it secret so that the other houses were surprised."

"But first years never make it on the house team!" Grace said. "You must be really really good. Do you like flying?"

"It's the best feeling!" he explained and took the seat next to her. "There's nothing in the world that can stop me and all that matters is making sure I don't fall off. The broom did whatever I wanted so easily."

"But the trials haven't even been held yet," Grace wondered. "How did you get on the team?"

"Well Draco Malfoy stole Neville's Rembembrall," Harry began. Grace sat wide-eyed through his story and congratulated him at the end. "Oliver said I should come to the trials on Saturday to see the rest of the team but he'll introduce me to the team on Sunday's practise."

"Wow that's so great!" Grace said. "Lara, Miranda and I were going to go the trials anyway to watch our friends. Do you want to come with us?"

"Sure," Harry agreed happily. "I'll try to get Ron to come to. He said I was a good flier."

"Speak of the devil," Lara said as Ron walked up and sat next to Harry.

"Hey Grace, do you want to go upstairs now?" Lara asked. "Professor Burbage said she wanted us to read about the development of Muggle technology."

"Yep sounds like sooo much fun," Grace said sarcastically. "Have fun telling Ron your news."

She followed Lara and Miranda out of the hall, leaving Harry to tell a bewildered Ron about being Seeker. On the way out she passed Fred and George.

"Heard the news?" George asked her quietly.

"Yeah, how'd you find out?" Grace murmured back.

"Wood told us; he seems to think we'll be getting straight back on the team again," George winked at her. She raised her eyebrows at him.

That night Grace stayed in the boy's dormitory, teaching Miranda about Muggle inventions such as television and aeroplanes. They stayed up late and eventually moved to their own dormitory at eleven thirty. It wasn't until Grace was in her bed that she realized how dreadfully hungry she was.

She slipped out of bed and into her dressing gown and slippers.

"Grace," Lara mumbled. "Where are you going?"

"Midnight snack," she said. "Anyone want anything?"

"Ohhh can you grab me some cake please?" Trina asked.

Treading lightly down the stairs, through the common room and out of the Gryffindor tower, Grace aimed towards the kitchens.

The halls were eerily quiet. Candles flickered in holders along the walls. Portraits snored in their frames. Ghosts floated past, asleep as they did.

She was passing the trophy room when the sound of shuffling of steps and a soft 'meow' could be heard.

Grace gasped and jumped through a painting which she knew to be an illusion. She waited, holding her breath, until Filch had entered the trophy room. Once she was sure that he wouldn't hear her, she ran for her life. Only when she reached the painting of a bowl of fruit under the Great Hall did she stop.

Reaching forward, she tickled the pear; it giggled and squirmed until it changed into a golden door handle. Once inside a swarm of house elves ran at her, bearing silver trays of warm milk, honey, tea, cakes and biscuits.

"Hello miss!" the closest elf squeaked up at her. "What can we do for you tonight?"

"Can I have some cake, biscuits and milk please?" Grace requested politely.

She had barely spoken when another elf appeared at her waist, holding a floral bag containing wrapped up biscuits, a box of fresh sponge cake and a few jugs of milk.

"Hey isn't that Ciara's bag?" Grace exclaimed.

"Yes, miss, she left it here yesterday morning, we were going to take it up tonight but you arrived."

"Well thanks," Grace waved goodbye and departed from the kitchens.

She took a passageway up to the Charms corridor for a nice midnight stroll when a distant banging of suits of armour caught her attention. Someone else must be out of bed. She paused frozen to listen for Filch but jumped when four Gryffindor first years burst out of a nearby tapestry. She recognized Harry, Ron, that Hermione girl and a short boy that Harry referred to as Neville.

"Harry," Grace gasped. "What are you doing?"

"We just escaped from Filch," he panted.

"What are you even doing out of bed?" she asked. Around her Neville was bent double, wheezing and Hermione was clutching her chest.

"Malfoy tricked them," Hermione said through deep breaths before turning to Harry. "You realize that, don't you? He was never going to meet you- Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off."

"We've got to get back to Gryffindor tower," said Ron.

"Let's go," Harry said.

"There's another passageway upstairs, just keep walking," Grace told them.

But nothing at Hogwarts could be that easy. Barely a few feet down the corridor a doorknob started to rattled before something shot out of it.

"Peeves," Grace said. He squealed in delight at the sight of them.

"Shut up Peeves- please- you'll get us thrown out," begged Hermione.

Peeves just cackled at her.

"Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties. Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caught."

"Peeves move or we'll tell the Bloody Baron," Grace stepped out from behind Ron. "He won't like to here you've been up to mischief again especially not after the incident with Fred and George."

Her eyes glittered in the candlelight as Peeves' smile dropped from his face.

"You wouldn't," he said.

Grace nodded solemnly. Peeves raced out of the corridor hastily. Grace grabbed Harry's arm and ran right to the end of the corridor- straight into a locked door.

"Shoot the passageway is in the Third floor corridor," Grace cursed.

"This is it!" Ron moaned. "We're done for! This is the end!"

Grace was about to tell him about the many times Fred and George had been caught out of bed when she heard Peeves talking to Filch. She knew Professor Flitwick had taught them a spell to unlock doors but she couldn't remember the spell.

"Oh, move over," Hermione snarled. She grabbed Harry's wand, tapped the lock and whispered, "_Alohomora!"_

The lock clicked and the door swung open. All of them piled in and Ron, Harry and Hermione pressed their ears against the door to listen to Peeves and Filch. Grace dug in her bag for a biscuit. Neville was tugging on Harry's pyjamas urgently. Grace rolled her eyes at the young boy and turned to tell him not to worry when she stopped, shocked.

Now Grace thought about it there was quite a good reason that this corridor was forbidden. It was quite monstrous really. For Grace was staring right in the eyes of that reason. All six of them.

In front of her stood a gigantic dog so all that it reached the ceiling. But possibly the worst part was that the dog had three heads. Three rolling, mad eyes; three twitching, sniffing noses; three pairs of ears perked up in their direction and three mouths full of razor sharp teeth, drooling in great ropes all over the floor.

"Harry!" Grace shouted. "We have to get out of here!"

Harry had finally responded to Neville's tugs and was staring open-mouthed at the dog. Menacing growls echoed through Grace's ears. The dog was quickly getting over the surprise of finding five pyjama-clad kids in its domain.

Harry groped behind him for the doorknob but Grace beat him to it. She flung the door open wide and pushed everyone out before slamming the door in the dog's face. Filch wasn't there anymore but Grace wouldn't have given one hoot if he was. They ran so fast that they almost flew down the corridor. Harry and his friends were terrified although as much as Grace was trying not to show it she was too. At last they skidded to a halt outside the Fat Lady's portrait on the seventh floor.

"Where on earth have you all been?" she asked, taking in their dressing gowns falling off their shoulders and the way they were panting after the long sprint.

"Never mind, pig snout, just let us in already," Grace gasped.

As soon as they were inside Ron, Hermione, Neville and Harry collapsed into armchairs while Grace leaned against a wall. It was a while before anyone spoke.

"That was a freaking three headed dog," Grace finally broke the silence.

"What are they doing keeping that thing locked up in a school?" Ron said in outrage. "Thing like would need exercise."

"Idon't know why it's there," Grace replied. "I know there would be a pretty decent reason but for now I'm going to bed. Hope you guys don't run into something life-threatening before morning. Goodnight."

Grace climbed the stairs to her dormitory wearily and once inside she slammed the door behind her. Hands shaking she lowered herself onto her bed and started as Lara sat up.

"Gracie, What's going on?" Ciara moaned from her bed.

"Don't worry bout it, just go back to sleep."

"No, you're not getting off that easily," Lara corrected her. "Something's up. Spill."

By now Miranda and Hannah had woken up too; Trina had been reading by wandlight but tore open her bed hangings to stare at Grace.

Grace looked around at all the expectant faces and stared deep into the fire as she spoke. "There's a three-headed monster of a dog in the third floor corridor."

**A/N: Was it alright? By the way Puffskeins are not made-up I got them from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander. Technically by J. but let me dream alright?**

**Please Review! Thanks for Reading!**


	12. Harry meets the team

**A/N: This was just a tiny chapter that I had to include but the next chapter will be up soon.**

**Just wanted to say thank you to my reviewers and to xXMizz Alec VolturiXx I had never actually thought of that idea but I've got it all planned out. Yeah Grace and Hermione will definitely be friends!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

Chapter Twelve: Harry meets his team

On Friday morning Grace could be seen huddled with her friends around the Gryffindor fire, recounting the tale in hushed tones. They had decided to eat what Grace had grabbed in the kitchens so they could talk privately. The tone of seriousness was broken when Fred and George suggested taking the dog for a swim in the Black Lake.

For the rest of that day the girls walked nervously around the school; always worried whether some other fearsome creature could jump out from behind the nearest pillar.

Saturday dawned before they knew it. Trina, Grace, Miranda, Lara, Lee and Jesse sat on the grass outside the quidditch pitch. Lee and Grace had snuck down to the kitchens for some pancakes, waffles, chocolate sauce and iced teas. Now they had it all laid out on a rug that Ciara had in her trunk. Hannah, Ciara, Fred and George joined them, in their Quidditch gear and holding their brooms, at ten o clock. But soon enough they had to head over for the trials.

Those who weren't trying out sat up in the highest seats in the stadium. Grace waved Harry and Ron over once they had arrived.

Down on the pitch Oliver Wood was organising the hopeful Gryffindors. He glanced up at the stands, gave a small smile and looked down again.

The night before the girls who weren't trying out had created banners for Ciara, Hannah, Fred and George and cheered their support when each player flew up to try for their position. If it was possible they did even better than last year. All through the trials Lee provided a running commentary just for them, which included booing everyone in the year below or above them and cheering for their friends.

Grace noticed the look of Harry's face as he watched the players fervently. Ron was explaining some of the different moves that they were practising.

Finally all of the players had tried out and Oliver was announcing the final team. He had stressed that there was no need for any seekers to try out. There were only beaters and chasers to try out.

"Well no one could possibly replace last year's beaters," Oliver began in a loud voice that carried across the pitch. "So Fred, George, you're back on the team. Could never lose you boys." Fred and George grinned at him smugly, clearly proud of themselves. "As for chasers; we have Katie Bell, Hannah Guptan and Ciara Archer. Everybody else can leave now, just the team stay."

Harry descended the stairs to join the rest of his new Quidditch team. George slung a relaxed arm around Harry's shoulders.

"Right now I know last year we didn't do so well in the cup. We had a few excellent players on the team but our own seeker was too busy yelling and insulting the Slytherins to care to catch the Snitch. We had a two decent chasers but none were up to the quality of Ciara or Hannah here. Now we've got an winning team together we will win this. First practise tomorrow at nine. Training will be on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Go and shower now."

Fred and George slumped off to the change rooms to get out of their Quidditch robes but Oliver grabbed Hannah's shoulder to pull her aside to talk to.

The other girls, now exiting the stadium, paused to try and hear what he was saying to her. Many glances from both Hannah and Oliver came the girls' way. When Hannah stopped talking they all waiting eagerly by the change rooms for her to come out. Lee and Jesse had already met with Fred and George and, by the sounds of it, were planning their next prank. Nobody seemed to notice Oliver staring at them as he packed up the quaffles and beater's bats.

"Hannah what was that about?" Trina asked on their way back up to the castle.

"Well he said that he was disappointed Zachery didn't put me on the team last year," she started. "Oh and he asked about you too Trina. He thought you looked cute today."

"Yeah I saw him," Ciara put in. "He was blushing like the colour your hair Gracie."

All of the girls giggled but Trina squealed and jumped the rest of the way up the stairs.

"What's all the giggling for girlies?" Jesse asked from behind a tapestry.

His only answer was more giggles.

**A/N: Review Please! Thanks!**


	13. Troll in the Dungeon!

**Yay! I'm going so much quicker now don't you think? That's three chapters in about four or five days! That's pretty good for me. **

**Disclaimer: I don't know why I keep saying it but I don't own Harry Potter. **

Chapter Thirteen: Troll in the Dungeon!

The next few months passed quickly. In that time Fred and George managed to get sixteen detentions even though there were numerous more pranks that they just weren't caught for. Half of those were on at the same time as Quidditch practise. Oliver wasn't exactly impressed but whenever he came to yell at them, he started smiling and went off to talk to Trina instead. Fred and George always had to thank her for that.

Grace continued to help Madame Pompfrey in the hospital wing whenever possible as well as joining her friends for a picnic breakfast every Sunday morning before quidditch practise for some. But finally Halloween came in late October.

The halls of the castle wafted with delicious smells of roasted pumpkin. Grace ate nine pumpkin pasties for breakfast and thought today was the happiest day there could be.

In Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor Quirrell announced that after a few months of theory work they would finally get to practise defence and attack spells against one another.

"For a b-b-bit of f-f-fun," Quirrell stuttered. "W-w-we'll p-p-put the Slytherins a-a-against the Gryffindors."

That only made the duelling fiercer and rougher. Grace got paired off with Helena Oves. A smug smile crossed Helena's devilish face, full of contempt.

"You think you're going to beat me are you?" she whispered.

"Course I do Helena," Grace smirked back. "Good always triumphs over evil, doesn't it?"

"What part of you and your friends is good?" she sneered. "You're all ugly little good-for-nothing brats."

"Helena I don't care what you say about me but _don't you_ _dare ever insult my friends_."

With that Grace shoot a stunning curse right at Helena's chest who toppled over immediately.

"M-m-maybe not q-q-quite so st-st-strong," Quirrell said over the cheers and whoops of the Gryffindors.

After a lesson like that the boys were telling anybody who would listen how their best friend knocked out a Slytherin with one spell. By dinner everybody stopped listening so they tuned back to jokes.

The Halloween decorations for that year surpassed any they had ever seen. Live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling and even hung low over the tables to form thick black clouds. Pumpkins held candles on the tables and sat in large clumps around the room. Just like any other feast the food appeared on the golden plates suddenly as everyone sat down.

"Oh look Trina, Oliver's staring again," Ciara whispered across the table. The Quidditch captain in question raised a hand and smiled at Trina who giggled and looked down.

The doors or the Great Hall banged open as Professor Quirrell sprinted into the hall, his turban on an angle and a look of utter terror on his face. The boys started snickering until Lara shushed them. Professor Quirrell stopped at Dumbledore's chair, leaned against the table and gasped- just loud enough for the whole hall to hear- "Troll- in the dungeons- thought you ought to know."

He sank onto the floor in a dead faint.

The laughter was gone from the boy's eyes as they understood the seriousness of the situation. Screams of fear rang around the hall and didn't stop until Professor Dumbledore fired several purple firecrackers from the end of his wand.

"Prefects," he rumbled. "Lead your houses back to the dormitories immediately."

There was a rumble around the hall as chairs scrapped hurriedly back and their occupants rushing off. Many girls were clutching their friend's arms. But the whisper that many heard echoing around was _how did a troll get inside the castle?_

"Trolls are really stupid aren't they?" Lara asked. "I was reading Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and trolls are mentioned a lot for how stupid and brutal they are."

"Yeah they are stupid," frowned Miranda. "I don't really get it."

Grace got lost in the conversation as they continued discussing how stupid trolls were. She glanced behind them, into the crowd of Gryffindors and Ravenclaws heading upstairs, to check that Harry was safely following Percy. He wasn't. Neither was Ron. Or Hermione for that matter.

"Fred! George!" Grace hissed. "Ron and Harry aren't behind us!"

"Grace c'mon," Fred whined. "You probably lost them in the crowd."

"Can you please check the map just in case?" Grace begged.

Fred and George exchanged glances. "Only for you, Gracie," George said.

Making sure Percy wasn't nearby Fred pulled out the Marauder's Map and, once it was opened, began searching for Harry and Ron.

"There!" Grace pointed at the downstairs girl's bathroom where Ron, Hermione and Harry were.

"Does that say troll next to them?" George asked.

Neither of them answered him.

Glancing around them to check once again for Percy, Fred lifted a nearby tapestry ad motioned for Grace and George to go in before him.

They hurried along the corridor and down a flight of stairs until they were outside the girl's bathroom. A girl's scream and more shouts could be heard as well as the thumping of huge footsteps.

Fred, George and Grace ran forward to the wide open door. Before them Hermione sat in fright under a sink, Ron had his wand out and Harry was hanging from a troll's neck. Out of the troll's nose stuck a wand.

Harry noticed them entering but didn't dare disturb Ron's concentration. Ron swished his wand and brought it up with a flick, shouting, "_Wingardium Leviosa!" _The troll's club flew out of its hand, rising high in the air-higher and higher- revolved slowly before crashing back down on its owners head with a crunch of splitting bone. The troll swayed dizzily before falling flat on its face with a trembling thud.

Harry got to his feet, shaking all over and panting. Grace ran over to him frantically checking for any signs of hurt.

"Harry are you alright?" she asked. "And why in the world would you jump onto a troll's neck of all the stupid things to do!"

Harry wasn't listening; he was too busy making sure Hermione was alright.

"Is it . . . dead?" Hermione asked.

"No, just knocked out," Grace told her.

Harry was retrieving his wand from the troll's nose. Strings of what looked like lumpy grey glue hung from the wand to the nose.

"Urgh, troll bogies."

He wiped it on the troll's trousers causing Grace to wrinkle her nose in disgust. Fred and George stood behind Ron, each with a hand on their little brother's shoulders.

"You know, I never though Ickle Ronniekins would be able to take down a mountain troll," Fred said wickedly.

"Our little boy has grown up," George was wiping away a fake tear from his eye.

A sudden slamming and the sound of the loud footsteps made all six of them look up. Then again somebody must have heard the racket that was going on so it was actually surprising a teacher hadn't come sooner. A moment later Professor McGonagall burst into the room, followed by Snape and Quirrell. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let a pathetic whimper and sat down on the nearest toilet, looking like he was going to faint again.

Snape bent over the troll, examining it closely. Grace reasoned that he probably didn't want it to wake up. Professor McGonagall was glaring at Harry, Ron and the twins. It was the type of glare that sent the bravest Gryffindors running to their beds and under the covers. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, white as a sheet.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" she said, cold fury echoing in her voice. She stared round at Harry, who was staring at Ron, who was still holding his wand high in the air and the twins, who had assumed their 'guilty' expressions. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

Grace looked at Fred and George. She would like to hear this too, seeing as none of them knew why Ron and Harry were here in the first place.

"Please, Professor McGonagall," Hermione's voice came quietly rom where she still crouched by a sink. "They were looking for me."

"Miss Granger!"

Hermione managed to get to her feet at last.

"I went looking for the troll, because I- I thought could deal with it on my own- you know, because I've read all about them."

Ron dropped his wand. Grace frowned. Surely Hermione, the girl who could possibly beat Lara and Hannah at being smart, wouldn't be stupid enough to track down a troll all by herself?

"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. It was about to finish me off when they arrived. Fred, George and Grace arrived just as the troll fell. They didn't have time to go and fetch anybody else."

Grace's eyes were wide open now. Not only was she shocked that Hermione had come so close to dying but the story didn't sound quite convincing enough to Grace's ears.

"Well- in that case. . . " Professor McGonagall said, clearly believing every word Hermione said. "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"

Hermione hung her head.

"Miss Granger, ten points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," Professor McGonagall continued. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."

Hermione swiftly left. Professor McGonagall turned to those left in the room.

"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. Ms Potter, Mr Weasley, Mr Weasley, you three better keep an eye on your siblings. You each win Gryffindor five points and Professor Dumbledore shall be informed. You may go."

They hurried out of the chamber and didn't speak until they had caught up with Hermione two floors up. At least now Grace could smell properly away from the stench of the troll.

"Hey Hermione," Grace asked. "Are you sure that's what happened? It's just you don't seem like the type to run and confront a mountain troll just for the thrill of it."

On the way to the Gryffindor tower, Hermione recounted how Ron was teasing her, how she ran the girl's bathroom, how a troll came in, and how Ron and Harry turned up out of nowhere to save her.

"Well, I'm glad you're okay," Grace told her. "And if you ever need someone to talk to me and my friends are always here. You just have to ignore Fred and George."

"Thanks Grace," she said as they reached the common room and followed Ron and Harry through the portrait hole.

Grace wrapped her arms around Hermione briefly and ran off to join her friends. Fred and Georg were already telling how their little brother had knocked out a twenty-foot mountain troll at the top of their voices. Grace swore it was only twelve-feet.

**A/N: Naw Grace is being nice to Hermione. Ain't tha sweet? **

**Please Review! Thanks for Reading** !


	14. Best Month Ever

**A/N: Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. **

Chapter Fourteen: Best Month Ever

In the week after Halloween, a new poster on the Gryffindor notice board caught the third year's attention causing them to gather around it excitedly.

"First Hogsmeade trip on the twenty-fourth," Jesse told Grace. "I can't wait to go to Zonko's."

Grace's heart sank. The twenty fourth was her fourteenth birthday. She would love to spend it in Hogsmeade but Uncle Vernon had never signed her permission note.

"What about the Shrieking Shack?" Fred butted in. "I dare you to go inside it."

"Well I'd love to but I don't have permission," Grace sighed.

"Aw come on, you can sneak out," Fred whined. "You'll never get caught!"

"Maybe another time," Grace said.

"It's your birthday!" Fred cried. "You've got to do something fun for your birthday!"

"I'll go to the Quidditch the Saturday after my birthday," Grace said firmly. "I don't like the cold anyway."

It was true that the temperate was colder today. As they were in Scotland the weather would slowly get worse until it started snowing. Grace was lying when she said she didn't like the cold; she hated it. But she did go to Miranda to ask for a special favour.

"Do you mind buying my present for Ciara's birthday in Hogsmeade?"

"Yeah, but you could buy it yourself," Miranda pointed out. "And some for yourself too."

"Nah, don't have the permission note signed."

"You could always sneak out."

"Look I'm not sneaking out okay!" Grace said angrily. "Just take the money and buy her some chocolate!"

By that weekend all of Grace's friends had learned to avoid the topic of the Hogsmeade weekend. The first time Hannah and Trina tried to comfort Grace she stormed out of the common room but later came back , apologizing profusely. Saturday morning the sun was bright on the horizon, reflecting harshly off the frosty lake. The third years huddled together in front of Filch, all of their permission notes out and ready to be checked.

"I wish you could come with us," Lara complained.

"Yeah!" Trina agreed enthusiastically. "It'll be no fun without you!"

"I guess I'll just spend time with my little brother," Grace shrugged. "I've been looking forward to it anyway. I better go before Filch gets angry."

Grace hugged them all, including the boys, and turned to go up the stairs. Filch had started glaring at her suspiciously. She'd already got in trouble with him when Fred and George had set off a bag of Dungbombs and blamed it on her so she certainly wasn't going to get on his bad side for a while. The castle was very much deserted as she made her way up the marble stairs back to the common room. Up ahead a short be- speckled boy wearing Gryffindor Quidditch robes was carrying his broomstick towards her.

"Hey Grace. Happy birthday!" Harry said. "Your friends all said you were going to get your presents later so I was waiting til then. I thought you would be going to the village with them?"

"Yeah like I could ever get Uncle Vernon to sign a permission note with Hagrid sitting in the room."

"I would have thought that would help," Harry laughed.

"Not one bit," Grace joined in with the laughter. "Where are you going?"

"Down to the Quidditch pitch," he said. "I wanted to practise even more since our first game is in a few weeks."

"You guys are going to beat Slytherin anyway," Grace said. "Do you want help? I could throw some golf balls into the air for you to catch."

"Sure," Harry said and a grin came over his face. "I bet I could beat you in a race around the pitch."

Grace turned around and headed back down the stairs, with an arm around Harry's shoulders. On the way down they argued about why Grace wasn't wiser now that she was older.

Three hours later Grace was running away from Harry and his birthday snowballs when she bumped against something big and hairy, bounced right off and face-planted into the snow.

"Sorry bout tha' Gracie," Hagrid rumbled. A large hand wrapped around her upper arm and lifted her to her feet. She was swinging in the air for a second before Hagrid placed her back down. "Happy birthday to yeh."

"Thanks Hagrid," Grace smiled, wiping the ice from her face.

"Do you and Harry want to come to mine fer lunch?" he asked. "I left yer present there."

"Yeah sure, sounds like fun," Grace said eagerly.

They trooped off towards Hagrid's hut. It sat picturesque in the cold with spirals of smoke rolling out of the chimney. Fang was sprawled over the stone steps at Hagrid's front door, drooling onto the ground. Once they were inside Grace pushed the boarhound onto Harry's lap so he could drool there. Hagrid had made Grace a chocolate birthday cake with scarlet and gold icing. They sat around the fire eating cake instead of lunch, telling stories from the new term, even sharing some about Fred and George's old pranks for Harry. Wrapped up in brown paper was Grace's present from Hagrid: a new Muggle fiction book, _The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants. _Grace thanked Hagrid over and over again, knowing how much trouble it must have been for him to get a present like that. Once the sky was darkening Grace and Harry patted Fang on the head, gave Hagrid a bear-hug and headed back up to the castle.

"Grace!" Ciara shouted from the Gryffindor table as soon as she and Harry entered the Great Hall for dinner. "Come and open your birthday presents!"

"I'm going to go upstairs and get your present," Harry told her and sprinted away.

Grace cautiously approached where her friends were sitting together in front of a mound of brightly wrapped presents. She was slightly afraid as Fred and George were known for throwing wild parties. Last month they had stayed up all night for Miranda's birthday and only three days ago had no sleep on Hannah's birthday. It was unfortunate that all of their birthdays were clumped together because no one ever got any sleep.

"Hey guys," Grace said.

Before she could even reach for the lamb roast Fred shoved a present onto her plate.

"It's from all of us boys," he said. "Probably the best present of all."

Grace laughed as she opened it up to reveal all of the latest Zonko's joke shop products. Hannah, Lara and Trina had bought her a giant box of Honeydukes chocolates. Ciara and Miranda had pitched in with a leather bound diary. Grace riffled through the stiff lavender scented paper. On the front page there was a note in neat writing.

_To Gracie_

_HAPPY BIRTHDAY!_

_Since you couldn't come to Hogsmeade with us we each bought you some of the best things to buy; Zonko's products and Hogsmeade chocolate. We all know how much you can't live without chocolate. Miranda and I saw this while wandering around and thought it was beautiful. _

_Hope you had a great day anyway, sweetie. We all love you even if the boys won't admit it. _

After that there was an assortment of signatures ranging from illegible loops to neat names.

Grace thanked all of her friends, hugging each of them in turn and turned to her dinner but was interrupted yet again when Harry appeared at her elbow. Miranda scooted over to give him some room to join them. It had only been a few weeks since Grace's friends had gotten over the shock of meeting Harry Potter.

"Happy birthday Grace," he panted. It seemed like he had run straight down from Gryffindor table.

"Thank you Harry," she said as he handed her a wrapped present.

"I bought it that day in Diagon Alley," Harry told her. "They were in Madam Malkin's and she said any girl would like them."

Grace tore apart the paper to reveal a small black box. Resting inside were a pair of silver earrings. A tiny amethyst jewel was wrapped inside spirals silver. They were amazing. The girls around gasped.

"Oh my gosh they're so nice Harry!" Grace exclaimed.

He opened his mouth to speak but the wind was knocked out of him as Grace engulfed him in a tight hug. Awkwardly he patted her on the back, looking bewildered at everyone's laughter.

By eleven' o'clock the next Saturday the whole school was pouring out of the great doors down to the Quidditch pitch to witness Slytherin take on Gryffindor. The sets were packed with every single student Hogwarts had. Grace climbed up the stairs to the exact middle of the stand where Lee Jordan sat with Professor McGonagall in front of the magical megaphone.

Grace and her friends were decked out in their house colours to show support for their team, with scarlet and gold scarves, gloves, jumpers and beanies. Trina and Miranda waved Gryffindor flags in the air and Lara wore binoculars around her neck. Grace peered around the stands at the rest of the school. Three quarters of the stands were dressed in Gryffindor colours, waving posters and flags. Up in the top row Grace could see a couple of first years holding a large banner that said _Potter for President_ in bright flashing colours. The last quarter of the stands were wearing silver and green for Slytherin. It was clearly obvious which house was more popular.

"Mr Jordan please make sure that there will be no profanities or bias opinions this match," Professor McGonagall informed Lee.

"C'mon miss," Lee whined. "When am I ever that bad?"

Professor McGonagall's face said it all. Lee laughed at her before turning around to adjust the megaphone and get ready to start commentating. The teams of both houses were walking onto the field, with their brooms over their shoulders. Ciara and Hannah walked with the other chaser, Katie Bell while Harry walked behind Fred and George. Grace waved to him encouragingly. Madam Hooch was refereeing the match and she stood waiting in between the two teams.

Once they were all gathered around, Madame Hooch said something that couldn't be heard from the stands. At another word from Madam Hooch both teams clambered onto their brooms.

Madam Hooch blew her small whistle, loudly and shrilly.

Fiftenn brooms rose up into the air, higher and higher; the stands were cheering them on. The game had begun.

Ciara was the first to snatch the quaffle. Lee had already started to report on what was going on.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Ciara Archer of Gryffindor- what an excellent chaser that girl is, and rather attractive too-"

"LEE!" Grace, Trina and Lara screeched.

"Sorry girls. She's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Hannah Guptan, unfair of her not be on the team last year, she was only a reserve- back to Archer and- no Slytherin have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle off he goes- Flint flying like an eagle, well he certainly looks like one- he's going to score- no stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and Gryffindor take the Quaffle- that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and- OUCH- that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger- Quaffle taken by Slytherin- that's Arian Pucey speeding off towards the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger- sent his way by Fred or George Weasley can't tell which- nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Archer back in possession off the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes- she's really flying- dodges a speeding bludger- the goal posts are ahead- come on, now, Ciara- Keeper Bletchley dives- misses- GRYFFINDOR SCCORE!"

The girls, who had been watching fervently, screamed in delight when Ciara tossed the ball through the goal posts. As always they laughed at the expressions on the faces of Slytherins.

"How's Harry doing?" Miranda whispered in Grace's ear.

Grace glanced up to where Harry was smoothly gliding over the game, clearly keeping an eye out for the Snitch. He seemed to be squinting in concentration but right now was cheering with the rest of the Gryffindors.

"Look, he's doing well," Grace whispered back.

Currently, Harry was celebrating their recent goal by doing a couple of back flips. Mirand and Grace exchanged glances, the laughter in their eyes. They spent some time watching Harry fly around the pitch, speeding after anything that glinted gold. A Bludger pelted towards him, the speed it was flying at was deadly, but he dogded it just in time. Fred chased after the Bludger, yelling at Harry on his way.

"He's keeping his promise then," Miranda murmured.

The evening before the game Miranda and Grace had taken Fred and George aside and told them, "No matter what make sure no Bludger comes anywhere near Harry tomorrow, we know it's part of the game but please just look out for him." Although they laughed at them both of the boys had promised to keep an eye out for Harry.

"Well I'd hoped they would," Grace said.

Grace turned back to the rest of the game. Adrian Pucey had the Quaffle. He was flying well, dodging two Bludgers, Fred, George and Katie Bell. Closer and closer to the goals he was until Lee shouted, "Wait a moment- was that the Snitch?"

Pucey dropped the Quaffle, looking over his left shoulder at a flash of gold that had just passed him by. The crowd was murmuring in excitement.

Harry dived downwards after the Snitch, Terence Higgs, the Slytherin Seeker chased after him. They were neck and neck, hurtling faster, faster and faster. The rest of players froze in anticipation of what was about to happen. It could be one of the earliest caught Snitches Grace had ever seen.

Harry was faster than Higgs- the Snitch was fluttering mere inches from his hand.

But- no- there was something big hurtling towards him- definitely not a Bludger- a blur of green came closer to Harry. All of a sudden he barged into Harry so Harry couldn't catch the Snitch. Harry's broom spun round uncontrollably. Grace cried out in horror and rage. She covered her mouth with her hands, breathing heavily, and watched him steadily get back on course.

"Foul!" The Gryffindors were yelling.

"Fred or George should smash that little cheating boob their Beater bats," Trina was saying angrily.

Up in the air, Madam Hooch was speaking to Flint, a look of anger on her face, then gave a free shot at the Slytherin goal posts.

While he was continuing to commentate, Lee was having trouble controlling his anger. Lara rubbed his shoulder comfortingly while rolling off curses in another language. Lee looked at her gratefully and took a deep breath to prepare himself.

"So-after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating-"

"Jordan!" Professor McGonagall growled. Certainly, Lee wasn't over his anger yet.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul-"

"_Jordan, I'm warning you-"_

Grace smirked at him.

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Guptan, who puts it away, no trouble at all for a girl with her skill, and we continue to play, Gryffindor still in possession."

Hannah flew around the goal posts for a second smiling at her goal. Grace watched a Bludger fly dangerously close to Harry's head then turned away to see Ciara grab the Quaffle off Flint.

"Grace did you just see that?" Lara asked; back in English. "Did Harry do that on purpose?"

"Do what?" Grace replied looking up at her brother.

"His broom lurched," Lara said.

Then Grace witnessed it for herself. Harry's broom jolted, like it was a bull trying to buck its rider off. Black hair flying and a slightly panicked expression on his face, it was a wonder Harry's glasses hadn't fallen on. The broom started to zigzag through the air, making violent swishing movements every couple of metres. It didn't look like Harry was directing it at all.

Lee hadn't noticed anything at all. He kept on commentating as Flint was flying towards the goals. He threw the Quaffle into the goal hoops. Slytherin were cheering. Grace looked around at everyone else but they were engrossed in the game. Flint was the centre of their attention not Harry.

Slowely Harry was carried even further away. Now he was just a distant figure rising up into the blinding sun.

"Could someone have jinxed his broom?" Trina asked.

"Nah, not possible," Grace shrugged off the idea.

"Maybe he's just being stupid?" Miranda suggested.

"No, no," Grace shook her head. "It's not like him. He's not very attention-seeking so he wouldn't want this. Anyway if he wanted attention he'd just catch the Snitch."

"But the only sort of magic that could charm a broom like that is very advanced," Lara mused. "Only an adult would have that much knowledge . . . or else an extremely smart student."

"Lee, Jesse look!" Trina cried. Both boys looked up to where Trina was pointing at Harry and popped their mouths open in a shocked expression.

"What the- everybody turn your attention to Potter's broom- now that can't be normal- somebody go help him." Lee turned his commentary to Harry. Professor McGonagall was watching with concern, clearly worried for her Seeker. Nobody seemed to have any idea of what to do.

"I has to be one of the teachers doing that!" Lara reasoned.

"Of course not, Miss Scoliosis!" Professor McGonagall scolded. "No teacher at this school would do that to a student!"

"Well someone must be!" Lara argued.

"I don't care who's doing it," Grace said. "Just help Harry!"

Grace leapt to her feet and clutched the back of the chair in front of her. Fred and George flew close to Harry, attempting to pull him to safety on one of their brooms but it didn't work- as soon as they got close enough to grab one of his arms, his broom would jump further out of reach. Together the twins dropped lower and circled beneath him- getting ready to catch him if he fell. Silently Grace thanked them, promising to participate in whatever pranks they wanted to do for however long it took to thank the pair of them.

"And the Weasley twins attempt to retrieve Potter failed- for his own sake catch him when he falls!- if you someone near you muttering and staring at Potter, hit them over the head!"

"Flint seems to think that he still can score," Miranda muttered.

Flint had seized the Quaffle off Katie Bell and was throwing it repeatedly into the goal hoops. Wood had flown closer to where Harry was spinning around and around. Ciara and Hannah circled loosely around Harry, trying to force his broom to stop.

"I can't watch this!" Trina yelled. She put her hands over her eyes in despair.

All of a sudden Harry righted his broom, straitening up dizzily. Ciara flew closer to check if he was alright but he dived away.

He was pummelling to the ground. His hand clapped over his mouth- like he was going to be sick- he landed abruptly on all fours- coughed- and covered his mouth with his hand.

"I've got the Snitch!" he shouted, waving his closed fist above his head. The game ended in utter confusion.

Grace screamed.

"Trina! It's alright," Lara assured her from where she was jumping up and down. "He caught the Snitch! We won!"

"GRYFFINDOR WIN!" Lee shouted. "At a margin of one hundred and seventy points!"

Bu Grace didn't hear any of this, neither did she see Lara squeal and hug Professor McGonagall or hear Flint howling at the top of the lungs that Harry must have broken the rules; she squeezed through the crowd of players surrounding Harry. Fred and George's arms were around his shoulders. Ciara, Hannah and Wood stood nearby, smiles wide on their faces.

"Congratulations!"

"Gracie," Fred said.

"Party up in the common room," George said.

"We kept our promise so you owe us," Fred reminded her with wink.

"What promise?" Harry asked.

"Never mind," Grace dismissed. She didn't really want him to know she worried that much.

"I'm going to go, Ron and Hermione are waiting." He ducked out from the twin's arms and away from the still screaming crowd. "Bye Gracie."

He planted a single kiss on her cheek and rushed off.

"Reckon we should rub our win in the Slytherins faces?" Ciara joked.

"Wonderful idea, my dear," Fred announced. His eyes lit up with mischief and he looked sneakily at his twin.

"Down to the dungeons then?" George asked.

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed that different side of things. Maybe next chapter will be about Fred and George's prank. **

**Please Review! Thank for Reading!**


	15. Not so much a prank as house pride

**A/N: Hi guys here's the next chapter. It's just sort of a fluffy bit about Fred and George's prank. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

Chapter Fifteen: It's not so much a prank as a show of house pride

"George what prank are you making us do?" Grace asked in exasperation. She'd been asking the same question for the past hour. After an hour of dancing around the Quidditch pitch, the boys had finally agreed to come inside for some lunch. As soon as they had settled down with large plates of food in front of them, wicked grins had come across both twin's faces. They had remembered the prank that Grace had promised.

"Now, now, Grace don't be impatient," Fred waggled his finger at her.

"Come in close," George whispered, beckoning Miranda and Grace in.

They leaned over the table.

"Tonight we are going to hang multiple Gryffindor banners in the dungeons and Snape's office. Professor McGonagall won't even get us in trouble because she'll be so proud!"

"You do know Snape will kill us if he finds us sneaking around his office?" Miranda pointed out.

"Oh well, it's worth the risk," George said.

"It could be really fun," Grace debated. "But Filch still thinks I threw those dungbombs last week so if I get caught he'll give me a month's detention."

"Then we won't get caught," Miranda said, concluding the conversation.

Grace sighed. She didn't like detention, or their chances of getting caught but she still agreed to meet Fred and George just outside the common room at midnight.

Grace twirled around in front of the ornate mirror in her dormitory. Miranda had draped a Gryffindor banner over both of them, like dresses, and Ciara had done their hair up in tight buns.

"So anyone else want to come?" Miranda asked the room.

Most of the girls had finished celebrating Gryffindor's win hours ago. Lara was already in bed, Trina was reading a book by wandlight, Hannah was currently straightening her hair before bed and Ciara lay on Miranda's bed, flicking aimlessly through a witches magazine.

"YES!" Ciara cried and leapt off the bed. "I'm so bored. A prank would be awesome! Especially if it annoys those bloody little Slytherins."

"Nah I'm going to bed now anyway," Hannah said.

"No you're not," Ciara declared. "As Chaser on the Gryffindor team it is your responsibility to gloat about our victory!"

Lara and Trina laughed at Hannah getting dragged out of the dormitory but neither of them wanted to come.

Together Ciara, Hannah, Miranda and Grace snuck down the stairs and through the common room. The Fat Lady was snoozing in her frame when they closed the portrait behind them. Fred, George and Lee were waiting behind a nearby statue. Lee and George carried bags bulging with Gryffindor banners whereas Fred was examining the Marauder's map.

"Ahh Hannah, so lovely of you to join us!" Fred proclaimed without even looking up.

"We should go now," George said, peering over Fred's shoulder. "Filch is in his office and all the other teachers are far away."

So they set off down the dark corridor lit by their bright wands.

"I still don't really like doing this," Hannah whispered.

"Don't worry if someone comes, blame the boys," Grace whispered back.

Twenty minutes later they arrived in the dungeon corridor, only stop twice when Peeves floated by and Mrs Norris decided to go for a walk.

"Right, you girls take this bag, over to that room; it's where the Slytherins come from in the morning," Fred directed. "And us boys, we'll take Snape's office."

The girls looked around carefully, grabbed the bag off George and ducked into the wide corridor that came off the main classrooms. The torches here had stone snakes creeping around the edges as did the mirrors, portrait frames and doors. Something about the place screamed 'Slytherin!"

They worked in silence. Above every door hung a red and gold poster. Across the giant archway they pinned a banner that read: GRYFFINDOR PRIDE! In large letters. To make sure that the Slytherins would have a hard time taking down the banners they charmed each one with an Impenetrable Sticking Charm. Admittedly it was a hard charm so all that weren't cast by Hannah would wear off after a couple of days.

"It looks amazing!" Grace exclaimed once they were done.

"Shut up Grace they'll all wake up!" Ciara told her.

"C'mon let's go," muttered Miranda. "We have to meet the boys in the Entrance Hall."

Grace ducked under the banner across the archway and signalled that the coast was clear to leave. Their footsteps were quiet, softened by slippers and their movements small. Shadows on the wall stretched long. Grace glanced up at her own shadow. It was like it mocked her; walking along it the open and not hiding from every sound just in case it's a teacher.

"Grace!" Ciara called as quietly she dared. "Can you hear that?"

The clacking of heeled shoes came from the nearest classroom. The doorknob turned ever so slowly.

"Quick in here," Grace said. She flung open the nearest door, pushing everyone into the broom cupboard behind.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no," whispered Hannah.

"Ms Potter."

The cold voice rang through the hallway. Grace shut the cupboard door, clicking the lock as smoothly as possible.

"Oh hi Professor Snape," Grace greeted cheerily. "How are you going on this lovely night?"

"What do you think you're doing here Potter?"

"Talking to you sir," Grace replied cheekily. "Am I doing something wrong?"

His lip curled back. If Grace was a scared type of girl then she would be shaking in her streamer wrapped slippers. But no she stood tall with an innocent look on her face.

"Yes in fact Ms Potter," Snape started. "You are doing a lot of things wrong. You are not allowed to be down in the dungeons out of class. You are not allowed to be out of bed at this time of night. And you are most definitely not allowed to try and break into the Slytherin Common room. I think that you deserve some punishment Ms Potter."

His every word was layered with contempt. Grace gulped. Thank God he hadn't opened the door and found Miranda, Ciara and Hannah. Hannah had been really worried about getting caught and had only come along because Ciara made her.

"Punishment sir?" Grace ventured to ask. "How do you know I wasn't just sleep walking?"

"You were most certainly not sleep walking. Do you know how I know that?"

Grace shook her head.

"You are dressed Ms Potter. Normally people sleep walk in their night clothes. Detention every Friday for a month, including the Christmas holidays."

The next morning Grace collapsed at the Gryffindor table, glaring at Fred and George. After the rest of the girls had fell out of the broom cupboard last night they had ran up the stairs to find Fred, George and Lee had ditched them at the sound of Professor Snape's voice.

"So what detention have you got?" Jesse asked Grace sympathetically. He was friends with the twins but rarely took part in their pranks.

"Something terrible knowing Snape," Grace groaned. "Every Friday for a month. He had to take away my Fridays didn't he?"

"You know it'll be worth it," Ciara interjected. "The Slytherins will get angry but they have to admit that we did win the game yesterday."

At that moment Callidus Minos and John Rookwood sauntered over to where Grace and her friends were sitting. The looks on their faces were ones of disgruntled annoyance.

"Trying to rub it in our faces huh?" Callidus asked. "Think that little prank makes you better than us?"

"For one, you don't know we did that," Fred started.

"And two, we already knew we were better than you," finished George.

Callidus scowled at their wide grins.

"What's the proof that it was even us?" Miranda argued.

"The fact that one of you has detention for the next month," Callidus said with a smirk.

"Oh shut up Callidus after yesterday's Quidditch match it's kind of obvious who the better house is," Grace said to woops and cheers.

"Don't worry, sweetie, all of your friends will join you I detention soon," John added in a sickly sweet voice. "Professor Snape is going to talk to McGonagall now about someone who broke into his office."

Grace's eyes flicked out of the Great Hall to where Professor McGonagall stood with Snape, arguing fiercely. Snape opened his mouth to speak, closed it again and stalked off with a swish of his cloak. Professor McGonagall turned and walked into Great Hall where Grace stopped her.

"Professor McGonagall, what was that about?"

The Transfiguration teacher gave her a very small smile.

"Professor Snape seems to think more than just you were down in the dungeons last night," she said. "Which is completely ridiculous, seeing as no other Gryffindors I know would be down in the dungeons at night."

Grace grinned. Callidus and John were shocked at Professor McGonagall's blatant disregard for their rule-breaking.

"But Professor what about the vandalism of Professor Snape's office and the Slytherin corridor?" Callidus whined. "Surely it was one of those twins' pranks?"

"Mr Minos, I will have you know that your so-called vandalism was not so much a prank as a show of house pride."

Professor McGonagall went to have her own breakfast, leaving Callidus and John with their mouths wide open. The Gryffindors were laughing so hard that they started to spit milk out. The story quickly spread around the school and, as it was obvious who did the prank, Grace, the twins and everyone else who was there that night walked around the school with pride.

**A/N: Hehehe Professor McGonagall very obviously has favourites doesn't she? **

**So I just want to tell you guys that are asking for Harry/Grace interaction that there will be a Christmas chapter and then a Mirror of Erised chapter. If anyone has ideas for what Grace could see in the mirror please let me know! **

**Thanks for Reading and Please Review!**


	16. A Potter Weasley Christmas

**A/N: Here's the next chapter! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. **

Chapter Sixteen: Potter and Weasley Family Christmas

Grace slouched her way up the stairs into the Entrance Hall and out into the snow that had started to fall a few weeks earlier. She had just spent the last three hours cleaning out every single store cupboard in the dungeons. Tha included all boxes that had grown mould and the slimy jars of rarely used juices. She was cold and tired as Professor Snape made her leave all of her cloaks by the door as she worked. Her breath had rose in an icy mist every time she breathed through her mouth to avoid the smells of potions ingredients.

It was the last day of school so her friends, among many others, were gathered around the lake, racing around in a snowball fight.

"Argh!" screamed Trina. "I will get you for that you peanut!"

"Try then," Ciara responded by poking her tongue out and skidding across the frozen lake.

"I can't run across the lake, you doofus!" Trina raised her arms to the sky at the very edge of the lake.

With a small smile on her face, Grace settled down next to Miranda on a large tree root. She was flicking aimlessly through _Witch Weekly_ but glanced up every now and then to see what the others were doing.

"Hey," she greeted, shoving the magazine back in her bag. "How was detention?"

Grace made a face at her. "I thought you were supposed to be packing for the train tomorrow."

"I gave up when everyone was leaving for a snowball fight."

"So you left for a snowball fight but you're not actually participating?"

"Oh shush, it's nicer out in the snow anyway," Miranda explained. "So what are you going to do all holidays anyway? Stuck inside with Fred and George."

"Well Harry and Ron are there too. It'll be a Potter and Weasley family Christmas! Even Percy will be there!"

"You sure that's a good thing?" laughed Miranda. "Everyone is with to their families then."

Grace thought of Miranda's family. She had a younger brother just like Grace but the whole environment at home was different. She had her parents at home with her who would bake the Christmas dinner and help decorate the house. Her grandparents and cousins and aunties and uncles would come to visit whereas Grace would be likely for Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon to remember her.

"Yeah," Grace sighed. "I guess it will."

Her dreaminess was shattered when two giant snowballs slammed into her and Miranda's faces. Spitting out snow both jumped to their feet to chase after Fred and George.

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"Harry what are you doing in the library?" Grace asked startled.

Harry and Ron were hidden behind a large pile of books. Both of them looked exhausted as though they had been at it for ages. It was the first day of the holidays; surely they didn't have homework?

"We were just doing some research," he explained. He and Ron shared a look. "Do you know who Nicholas Flamel is?"

A flicker of acknowledgement went through Grace's mind. The name seemed familiar.

"Yeah. . . I'm sure we learnt about him in History of Magic," she mused. "He's real famous."

"Famous for what?" Harry persisted.

"Oh I should know this," Grace frowned. "I dunno Harry, wish I could help. Tell you what, I'll ask Lara and Hannah before they go home."

"Thanks Grace," Harry smiled at her.

"What's it for anyway?" Grace floated a finished pile of books back up to where she had borrowed them for.

"Homework," Ron said quickly.

"I'll tell you later, Gracie," Harry told her softly. There was something in his tone that made Grace suspicious. Homework in the holidays on a guy that the third years had only just studied? No, something wasn't right.

Hphphphphphphphphphphphphphp

Grace lay on her stomach in the dormitory, watching her friends pick up their last few things before setting off on the train home. Fred and George were the only other Gryffindors staying over the holidays.

"Have a good Christmas Gracie," Lara said.

"Yeah eat lots of food and all that stuff," Trina agreed.

Grace rolled her way off her bed up to her feet.

"Yeah you guys have a Merry Christmas too," she wished. In turn she hugged Hannah, Lara and Trina and received Christmas wishes from all three.

"God, why can't I stay at Hogwarts over Christmas?" Ciara moaned. "I have to home and put up with my brother. I'll probably fight with my mum again."

"Which one?" Grace joked.

Ciara simply rolled her eyes and strolled out the door. Grace followed all of her friends down to where the whole of Gryffindor was gathered before the carriages came.

"Trust me Ciara, going home and fighting with your mum is a whole lot better than what I got," Grace assured her. "And I know how annoying little brothers can sometimes be."

Miranda shot Grace a funny look.

"Yours isn't even that bad," she pointed out. "Have a good Christmas. Eat lots of chocolate and sit around all day."

"I'm sure I will if the twins don't drag me around."

Grace gave both Miranda and Ciara tight hugs as she bid them farewell too.

"Naw Grace have a good one," Jesse said on the way out. Lee had merely waved. Gosh, boys showed so little emotion.

In a matter of minutes the room had emptied.

Grace couldn't see Harry anywhere. She had managed to find out who Nicholas Flamel is. He helped Dumbledore find the Twelve Uses of Dragon Blood as well as extensive work into alchemy. He must have been pretty smart because he found the Elixir of Life so right now he was six hundred and sixty five. Lara had informed her about his entire life once she asked. Grace would have to find Harry some other time.

Instead she slouched over to where Fred and George were cackling at some new joke.

"Hey boys, you know there's no one in m dormitory anymore?"

"Yeah," George said. "So?"

"Ahhh Gracie's afraid of noises in the night," Fred said as if he had wistful knowledge.

"Am not!" Grace argued. "I just don't think it's right to wake up alone on Christmas. You two have got each other and Harry has Ron."

"Go sleep with Percy," George remarked then laughed at the look of outrage on her face. "Okay, okay, you can sleep in Lee's bed."

"Thank you guys, I love you," Grace wrapped her arms around the boys who protested in mirth.

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Two heavy bodies bounced up and down on Lee Jordan's bed, shaking the occupant inside her blankets. Fred and George pulled Grace's blankets from over her and ran over to the door. Suddenly the day dawned on Grace who leapt off her bed, squealing in uncontrolled mirth.

"It's Christmas!" she went. "Happy Christmas Fred! Happy Christmas George!"

Both looked at her with happily. Together they settled by the warm open fire to open their presents. Ciara had received a camera for her birthday so all three of them got framed photos. Grace's photo showed her sitting on the arm of a chair in the common room with one arm around Miranda. Around her, on the ground, chairs and standing were Fred, George, Lee, Jesse, Hannah, Lara and Trina. Everyone was laughing and waving at the camera.

From the rest of the girls she had received chocolate, books, pretty quills and fragrant perfumes. Fred and George had given her a book entitled _How to Survive Detention When it's All Your Friend's fault. _Lee and Jesse gave her a giant box of her favourite Honeydukes chocolate.

"You really should have given me a book called how not to get into detention," Grace scolded.

"Now where's the fun in that?" Fred said.

"We just think it's terribly funny for you to get caught but not us," George said.

A lumpy package wrapped in pink paper caught her attention next.

"Oh no," Fred groaned. "You've got a Weasley jumper."

Curious, Grace ripped apart the paper that smelled of flowers to reveal a lavender jumper with a blue heart in the middle. A note floated out.

_Dear Grace_

_Merry Christmas! Hope you have a wonderful day. I decided not to put a letter on your jumper as your around George so much and you might not want to match him._

_Best Wishes, Molly and Arthur Weasley._

As soon as she got dressed Grace tugged the jumper over her head. Fred and George were wearing matching blue jumpers, one with a yellow F and the other with a G.

"C'mon let's go visit our darling little brothers, shall we?" George said.

Grace grabbed Harry's present and bounded after the twins. It really was hard to keep up with them. In less than a minute they were through the door of the first year dormitory.

"Merry Christmas!" all three of them shouted.

"She can't be in here," Ron said, gesturing towards Grace. Honestly Grace didn't see what the problem was as he was already dressed.

"Oh Ron, does it really matter?" she said. "I spend half my time in Fred and George's room anyway."

"Hey look- Harry's got a Weasley jumper too," Fred pointed out, "But his and Grace's are better than ours though. She must make a special effort if you're not family."

"Have a present Harry," Grace said as she threw herself onto Harry's bed and chucked him his present.

"Thanks," he grinned. "Have one yourself."

Grace tore the paper off yet another present to reveal a tiny snow globe. Inside it danced two lion cubs, rolling on top of one other. The base of the globe was red etched with gold writing. _Frater et soror, simul nos sunt familia. _

"It means brother and sister, together we are family in Latin," Harry said from where he peered at it over her shoulder. "Thanks for the photo by the way."

Grace had framed the photo from Harry's Sorting Feast for him. He looked as delighted in the picture as he did now. Over by Ron's bed Fred and George had made Ron put on his Weasley jumper.

"You haven't got a letter on yours," George observed. "I suppose she thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid- we know we're called Gred and Forge."

"You just have letters on yours so other people don't get you mixed up!" Grace called.

Fred and George stared to make loud noises of fake outrage but soon attracted an unwelcome visitor.

"What's all this noise?"

Percy Weasley stuck his nose through the door in a disapproving bossy manner. Over one arm hung another Weasley jumper which was promptly seized by Fred. Bringing something to make fun of into the arms of Fred and George was never a good idea.

"P for Prefect! Get it on, Percy, come on, we're all wearing ours, Harry's about to put his on."

"I-don't- want-" came his muffled voice as the twins forced the jumper over his head, not caring to be careful around his glasses.

"And you're not sitting with the prefects today, either," said George. "Christmas is a time for family."

They frog-marched Percy from the room, his arms pinned to his side by his jumper. Ron shrugged at Harry and Grace before following his brothers.

"What else did you get?" Grace asked.

Harry hesitated for a second then reached under his pillow to bring out a shiny silvery cloth.

"It can't be-"Grace gasped. "Who sent it? You do know what it is right?"

"There was a note- here," he said. The note didn't explain much but did leave Grace more curious than ever. She never knew her dad had an invisibility cloak. "Do you really think it was dad's?"

"Yeah course it was," Grace assured him. "McGonagall's always telling me how much of a prankster he was- she says that I'll follow in his footsteps. What's more perfect for wandering around at night than an invisibility cloak? I don't get why he would have given it to someone though."

"Do you know about anybody he knew?" Harry persisted.

"Nah, apart from Snape," Grace said in thought. "But Dad would never give something that great to a greasy-haired rotten slime ball of a person right?"

She didn't get any answer. Harry stared away from her in thought. It was always a subject that they had never covered.

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For Grace it was the most perfect day in the world.

Christmas lunch was spectacular. Grace wanted everything on her plate; from moist, roast turkeys and mountains of roast and boiled potatoes to silver boats of rich, creamy gravy and plump, buttery bread rolls. Every few feet there were stacks of wizard crackers. They were better than ordinary Muggle crackers. When pulled they let off a blast like cannon fire and louds of thick, blue smoke came out in great puffs. You never knew what was going to come out. When Grace pulled one with George they each got a silver crown and Grace fought with him for a box of fireworks.

Flaming Christmas puddings followed. Grace and the twins couldn't stop laughing at Percy almost breaking his tooth on the silver Sickle he found in his slice. Fred and George dared her to go and talk to the cute Ravenclaw boy and after eating too much she agreed. The boys laughed her on but she returned back to the table quite quickly.

Grace ran out of the hall to chase Fred and George outside. She skidded on the icy path, stumbled for a few steps and plummeted straight into George. Together they fell onto the snow, rolling in a heap into Fred's feet.

"I wouldn't stay in one stop for too long," Fred smirked as he levitated a pile of snow onto top of them.

For the rest of the afternoon after Ron and Harry joined them, Grace squealed and ran from all of the boys determined to cover her in snow from head-to-foot. She ran away, soaking wet and freezing cold, so she was the first to leave. A long, hot shower was her comfort before dinner.

Everybody settled down wearily, gobbling down, crumpets, trifle and turkey sandwiches.

Once they were back in their dormitory Grace sneakily stole Percy's prefect badge while pretending to be interested in the climb to becoming Head Boy. She slipped it into Fred's hand then collapsed to watch Percy chase the twins around the common room.

"Night Gracie," Harry said as he stood to go up to bed. "Hope you had a good Christmas."

"Yeah you too," she smiled. "See you in the morning."

Later that night Grace curled up in Lee's bed, listening to the twins' slow breathing. She was content. As the sleep took over her body the last thing Grace saw was her new snow globe. Brother and sister, together we're family.

**A/N: Naw! I don't even know where I got the snow globe idea from. Hope you liked it. Next time Harry will discover the Mirror of Erised and we'll see a bit into Grace's childhood. **

**Thanks for reading! Please review!**


	17. A Moment in Childhood

**A/N: Guys I don't know how you feel but I choked up writing this. Maybe I was just in a bad mood or something but still! It's sad! Hope you like it anyway.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

Chapter Seventeen: A moment back in childhood

It was only a few hours after she had fallen asleep that Grace was woken up again. Someone was shaking her gently, whispering her name over and over again.

"Washappening?" she mumbled.

There was a dark silhouette kneeling next to the bed that she was in. But the oddest part of all was that she could only see a head and no body. Just a floating head.

"Grace, I have to show you something!" Harry's voice whispered urgently. "C'mon quick!"

"Okay I'm coming," Grace said. She stumbled out of bed and slipped into her dressing gown and slippers before ducking under Harry's invisibility cloak with him.

Harry threw the cloak over both of their heads, hiding them from sight, as they made their way out of the Gryffindor dormitory.

"Harry where are we going?" Grace asked once they were passing the back of the library. "I know we've got the invisibility cloak but if I get caught I'll be in detention for the rest of the year."

"Here- we're here!" he replied. They ducked into an abandoned classroom.

As soon as she was far enough inside the room, Grace came out from the cloak to look around. Up against the walls were desks and chairs that cast shadows in the dark. Clearly they were cast away to make room for something else, something that certainly didn't belong in such a dusty classroom, something that Harry was waiting by excitedly.

It was a magnificent mirror. The elaborate gold frame reached from the floor on two clawed feet all the way up to the ceiling. Along the top of the mirror there was an inscription: _Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi._

"Can you see them Grace?" Harry asked eagerly. "Stand here,"

He grabbed her arm and pulled her closer. Grace twisted her waist to ask him what she was supposed to see when she saw it. The reflection in the mirror.

There stood Grace and Harry, in their pyjamas but they weren't alone. Standing by Grace's shoulder were two familiar looking adults. One was identical to Grace with long blazing red hair and a petite frame. The only difference was her green eyes; Harry's eyes. The other had messy black hair, glasses and a mischievous grin that could rival Fred and George. Grace stared deep into his hazel eyes- her eyes; the exact same shade and shape.

"Mum," Grace exhaled. "Dad."

Both of them smiled at her. Harry reached out to grip her hand tightly. Around Lily and James Potter were a group of people that Grace couldn't put a name to but deep down in her heart she was sure they were family. There was the man with dark shaggy hair whose arm draped around her father's with a carefree grin. Slightly less enthusiastic but still with a small smile was a battered tired man. He looked like a slight breeze would knock him down. Nonetheless there was happiness in his eyes as he flicked brown hair out of his eyes.

Down by Grace's feet a grey cat was chased by a boy the same age as Grace. The boy stopped and waved before continuing to run. He looked just like the Muggle boy who she played when she was three. He would be walking down the street and she would run off to steal his hat, giggling like a lunatic. Some part of his mind remembered his name to be Jack.

Everybody in the mirror was laughing and waving.

Grace turned behind her but there was no Lily or James or Jack jumping out behind the shadows. Even the cat remained in the mirror.

Her throat choked up. Those people. They were part of a long- gone past. One that had been shattered. One that wouldn't come back. The tears spilled out from her eyes. With a gasp she collapsed onto Harry and clung to him. Clung to the only proper family that she had left. Clung to the hope that maybe, one day, the pain would go away.

But it didn't.

After a while Grace and Harry sat together, not even realizing how cold the floor was since the only thing that mattered was that they were together. In front of them their family continued to act happy.

Grace was the first to break the silence.

"Hey Harry. Lara found out who Nicholas Flamel was the other day. Do you still want to know?"

"No but we've searched everywhere."

"Well if you want I could give you as whole description of his entire life," Grace offered. The look on his face clearly showed how much he didn't want to hear that. "He's an alchemist who is the only one is possession of a Philosopher's Stone. There were quite a few other discoveries he made but that's what he's most famous for. Harry, what was it for? Because third years aren't normally interested in six-hundred year old alchemists or stay studying in the library in the holidays. And after running into a three headed dog inside the school, I'm worried that whatever you're researching has something to do with that. I don't want you to get hurt Harry. Please don't get into anything dangerous. So start talking brother and tell me everything."

Harry waited patiently through the exhale of her distressed thoughts. When she finished, Grace raised her eyebrows at him.

"When we saw Fluffy that night Hermione noticed that he was standing on a trapdoor," He began. "She thought that it must be guarding something. So on the night that the troll was released I saw Snape limp pretty bad. It was him who enchanted my broom Grace. Hermione saw him."

"I'll kill that bastard!" Grace gasped. "Oh sorry keep going."

"Well anyway we were talking about how Snape must have been trying to get past the dog. Hagrid said that Snape wouldn't do anything. Then he let it slip that what Fluffy was guarding was between Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel. "

"So you think Snape's trying to steal the Philosopher's Stone or something?" Grace figured.

"Wouldn't put it past him," Harry started but paused. "Grace I think I can hear someone coming."

In a matter of seconds they were back under the cloak and out the door. The trip back to the common room was made in silence. At the door to the third year boy's dormitory Grace gripped Harry tightly.

"Harry, promise me you'll still be there in the morning? That I won't just wake up in a mean relative's house?" Grace choked out. She was starting to cry again.

"I promise Gracie." He said, looking slightly wary at her tears. "You sure you don't want to sleep in our room?"

"Nah Fred and George will wonder where I went," Grace replied. "Goodnight Harry."

"Night Gracie."

As soon as Grace was back into Lee's empty bed, dreams of her childhood took over. It was only three years that she had lived in Godric's Hollow but she could remember every detail.

**Thanks for reading. Please review!**


	18. Melting into Spring

**A/N: Hope you guys like this one. I've only got about three or four more chapters in the Philosopher's Stone year left. Yay!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. **

Chapter Eighteen: Melting into Spring

Grace spent the rest of the Christmas holidays wandering around Hogwarts all alone, her mind still on that night in front of the mirror. After that first night she hadn't returned again because without the invisibility cloak someone was bound to catch her. It would be another few weeks until the rest of her friends returned. Fred and George were currently amusing themselves by enchanting snowballs to chase Professor Quirrell around and bounce off his turban.

On the last day of the holidays Grace was sitting in front of the fire when she heard several girls squeal her name.

"Gracie!" Ciara was the first to get to her, engulfing her in a bear hug. "How was your Christmas?"

"Great thanks for the photo!" Grace replied. "How was yours?"

"It was really good!" Ciara said.

"Don't have her all for yourself!" Trina yelled before grabbing Grace for her own hug.

Term quickly began again. Grace spent many of her nights with Madam Pompfrey in the hospital wing, even when there were no patients. Some part of her just wanted to spend time with an adult woman.

Oliver Wood started the Quidditch regime again, tougher and harder. Grace and her friends continued to sit outside when Fred, George, Ciara and Hannah practised. Some nights they were forced to retreat inside when the heavy sheets of rain broke from the clouds. Trina said her favourite part was that she got to see Oliver almost every night. Fred made the mistake of thinking that he would be more interested in Quidditch than Trina. He girls didn't talk to him for the rest of the night.

One night Grace was sitting with her legs over Jesse's in the couches, trying to understand what Lara was teaching her about werewolves. She still couldn't believe how much homework they had just after the holidays.

"Hey Lara," George greeted. He made to sit on the arm of her chair but was promptly shoved off.

"You're all muddy!" she exclaimed. "Go have shower before you sit near us."

"Rejected brother," a much less muddy Fred teased as he claimed the spot his brother was trying to get.

"Let me clean your face George," Grace offered.

"No way," George countered. "I'll just have a shower."

"Well you look terrible so just let me," Grace argued. At the mention of his good looks he hesitated and Grace seized the opportunity. "Right now Fred's the better looking twin."

George gasped in horror and reluctantly moved closer to Grace and her wet handkerchief.

"Guys, guys, got big news!" Ciara shouted as she bounded over to where they were sitting. "Snape's refereeing the next quidditch match."

"No!" Grace and Lara gasped. "That's so unfair."

Suddenly a thought popped into Grace's head. Harry had said that it was Snape who had jinxed his broom so if he was the referee than Harry was as good as dead.

"I'm going to tell Harry not to play," she said without thinking.

"Blimey, Grace, as long as we play a clean game Snape can't pick on us," Fred said.

"Since when have you two ever played a clean game?" Ciara pointed out. While Fred and George fought with Ciara about how they never really played _that _dirty, Grace slipped off to talk to Harry. She found him over in the corner with Ron and Hermione. Both were giving him advice on how to avoid the game, including faking a broken leg or breaking his leg for real.

"You know I agree with those two," Grace interrupted. "It really isn't safe for you to play. You might not be so lucky next time. You really shouldn't take those chances."

"I have to," insisted Harry. "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all."

Grace scowled. She wanted to argue more with him but was interrupted when Neville stumbled through the portrait door. It was a wonder he had managed even that seeing as legs were stuck together with what looked like the Leg-Locker Curse. Although it was terrible to think who actually cast the curse, it was pretty funny too. Which was why Grace fell off her chair.

Laughter caroused around the room, until Hermione jumped up to perform the counter curse. Neville's legs sprang apart and he got to his feet, trembling all over.

"What happened?" Hermione asked him as she helped him to her seat.

"Malfoy," Neville answered shakily. "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practise on."

"You can't just let him do that Neville!" Grace told him. "You're a Gryffindor! Next time he tries something show him what that means!"

Grace stood up, patted Neville on the shoulder and gave a resigned glance in Harry's direction. She had homework to do before the Quidditch game.

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The time before the game passed quickly for Grace. In between homework and the hospital wing Grace spent every night worrying about Harry. She wasn't sure whether Snape would try anything again. Heck, she was sure that he would. Lara, even if she still didn't know who had jinxed Harry's broom, was worried that the same thing would happen again.

Of course it was hard to focus on Harry when all the Quidditch fanatics were obsessed with the idea of overtaking Slytherin in the house championship. They were all concerned about how Snape would be biased. For them the outcome of the game was more important than Harry staying on his broom.

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"Good luck Harry," Grace wished as they stood outside the change rooms. "Hold on to your broom tight, please." She added pleadingly.

"What? I'm your best friend and you don't wish me luck?" George cried in outrage.

"Good luck boys," Grace said with a sweet smile.

Up in the stands Lara, Trina, Miranda and Jesse had found their seats beside Lee and Professor McGonagall again. As usual they were going through their pre-game promises of no-bias comments on Lee's part.

"Miss, you expect me to not be bias but Snape is allowed to referee?" Lee complained. "How's that fair?"

"It is Professor Dumbledore's decision, Jordan," Professor McGonagall answered curtly. "And speaking of the Headmaster, he's here to watch the game so no profanities either."

"Dumbledore's here?" Grace asked incredulously.

"Yes Ms Potter," Professor McGonagall was starting to look annoyed.

"Oh thank God," Grace sighed and collapsed into her seat. Lara had a look of relief on her face. Nothing would happen in front of the Headmaster.

The Hufflepuff and Gryffindor teams marched onto the pitch, followed by a very angry looking Snape.

"He looks angrier than when the boys snuck into his and office and got away with it," Miranda said.

"That can't be possible!" Grace gasped.

Hopefully he doesn't take that anger out on anyone.

"Aaaand they're off!" Lee started. "Gryffindor Chaser Hannah Guptan first to grab the Quaffle- shooting off down the pitch- throws it off to fellow Chaser Ciara Archer- Hufflepuff Chaser Wiggins comes her way- oh and he was hit with a Bludger by Fred Weasley, at least I think it's Fred- Wiggins set off course-but no, what's this?- Professor Snape is calling for a foul!"

"No!" the girls screamed. Up in the air Fred yelling at Snape along with many rude hand gestures. He had every right to hit a Bludger at the Hufflepuff Chaser. It was not a foul!

George didn't seem to think so either. He was flying closer to one of the Bludgers with a look of angry determination on his face. Of course, George would defend his twin.

"No George, don't do it," Grace pleaded.

But he didn't hear her.

With a swing of his Beater's bat, he sent the Bludger zooming towards Snape's broom who barely managed to get out of the way in time. Lee groaned along with the rest of the Gryffindors.

"Penalty to Hufflepuff for hitting a Bludger at the referee- Hufflepuff Chaser Stacey Bloom takes it but can't get past Gryffindor Keeper Oliver Wood. Look there everybody the Gryffindor Seeker has seen the Snitch! He's diving to the ground now- right at the referee!"

Grace was up on her feet now, holding hands with Miranda and Lara. They squealed, jumped and threw their hands in the air.

For the second time that day Snape narrowly avoided being hit as Harry hurtled past him; next second Harry had pulled out of his dive, his arm raised with the Snitch clasped in his fist.

"YES!" Grace cheered "YES! YES! GO HARRY!"

It must be a record. The game had been going for less than ten minutes and Gryffindor had already won!

Miranda, Lara and Trina were pulling Jesse up into a hug. Grace ran down the stairs, tripping on the way down, to fall onto the pitch. Professor Dumbledore was speaking softly to Harry but that didn't stop Grace from pummelling into her little brother at full speed, lifting him off the ground and planting multiple kisses on his cheeks.

"You did it!" she kept on saying. "You did it! You did it! Oh Harry you won the game for us!"

His smile said it all.

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"George, why did you hit a Bludger at Snape?" Grace asked angrily. "You could've cost us the game

They were walking out of the Quidditch pitch after the game. Fred and George had already changed out of their Quidditch robes into their Weasley jumpers. The sun was high in the sky, reflecting off the lake that they were walking to.

"Didn't know you cared so much," George smirked. "He deserved it, Gracie. But we won so it doesn't even matter."

"Guys guess what just happened?" Trina came sprinting down from the Quidditch pitch, out of breath and ready to burst with excitement. On her face was the widest smile anybody had ever seen

"Did you only just realize we won the game, Trina?" Fred asked her gently.

"No, you peanut, Oliver just asked me to go to the next Hogsmeade weekend with him," she said, accompanied by a lot of jumping and high-pitched screams.

"Oh my god, are you going on a date?" Ciara asked. She was ignoring the fake looks of joy on the twins' faces.

"I think so!" Trina nodded. The girls all surrounded them, quickly involved in plans for Trina's hair and what she was going to wear.

"Look, what are the Ravenclaws doing?" Hannah asked, pointing to a group of Ravenclaw boys in their year who were standing close by. They were pushing two of the guys closer to their group of girls. Suddenly one of them, a cute guy whose name was Nate Williams, walked steadily forwards right up to Grace.

"Hey Grace," he greeted. He took a deep, steadying breath before continuing. "Do you want to go the next Hogsmeade weekend with me?"

It looked like it took him a lot of effort to get the words out. Grace was honoured that anyone would be nervous to ask her out. A small nervous smile lifted up the corners of his mouth. It was an easy decision really. He was a nice guy who aced every test they had. And that smile! It was so perfectly laid-back.

"Yeah sure," Grace answered. "I'd love to."

"Cool I'll see you next week then," Nate said. "Oh and my friend over there, Louis, is too chicken to tell you but he thinks your beautiful," he added to Miranda.

"So everyone's getting dates now huh?" George commented as he sat down on a log.

"Don't worry George," Lara said soothingly. "Hannah, Ciara and I will always go with you."

"We can get dates!" Fred cried. "Can't we Lee?"

"Yeah sure," Lee backed him up.

There was a silence over the group for a second. Lee pushed his dreadlocks out of his way and got up off the log to sling an arm over Ciara's shoulders.

"Ciara do you want to go out with me?"

Grace exchanged a shocked look with Miranda. Where the hell had this come from? They had known nothing about it, and they knew everything that was going on in the group.

"Of course Lee!" Ciara exclaimed.

"Now we have to get someone to go with Freddie," George groaned. Excitement was buzzing in the air. Who knew what would happen in Hogsmeade? That was, until Grace remembered she couldn't go.

**A/N: Oh a bit of a cliff-hanger there huh? Haha and if anyone is wondering why the girls squeal and scream a lot, it's fun to squeal so I guess they just do. **

**Hope you like it! Please review! Thanks for reading!**


	19. First Boyfriend

**A/N: Here's the next chapter. I was struggling a bit with what to do while Harry deals with Norbert. I think I've figured out how to write the last few chapters of the Philosopher's Stone now. By the way do you think I should put the Chamber of Secrets in a new story as a sequel and continue that way or just make this story really long?**

**Oh and I'm going to go back and edit some of the other chapters. There are a couple of things I want to fix. And general typos of course.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. **

Chapter Nineteen: First Boyfriend

Grace paced through the piles of clothes that had been thrown all over her dormitory floor. Inside her head raged a battle between the reckless part of her head that was convincing her to sneak out to her date and the more rational side that was telling her it was a bad idea. Even if she did find a tunnel to sneak out of than she would be out of breath and terrible looking by the time she got to Hogsmeade.

"Grace, have you figured out what to do yet?" Trina said. She was currently in front of the mirror, trying to make her hair look perfect in her eyes. Lee had even loaned her a Quidditch jumper to impress Oliver with.

"No!" Grace wailed. "If I go in the passageways I'll be late but if I walk there with Nate then I'll get in trouble!"

"You could sneak past Filch," Lara suggested.

"How am I supposed to do that? He's got eyes like a hawk!" Grace said. "I'd have to be invisible or something."

"Sorry but we haven't got any invisibility cloaks around here," Ciara said.

Suddenly it dawned on Grace how she could sneak past Filch. Why she hadn't thought of it sooner was beyond her. Harry had an invisibility cloak stuffed in his trunk a mere stair climb away and it had never occurred to Grace! Now all she had to do was ask Harry for a huge favour. She really was living up to McGonagall's expectations that she would be just as rebellious as her father.

"I'll meet you guys in the village," Grace said, grabbing her jacket and bag and running out of there. Five pairs of astonished eyes followed her.

Hphphphphphphphphphphphphphp 

Grace breathed heavily under the invisibility cloak. Harry had seemed sceptical at first but when she said that she should be allowed to use their father's cloak as well he reluctantly handed it over.

Right now she was trying hard to stay out of the way of the third years and above so no one would bump into her. Filch was meticulously checking the permission forms of all those lined up to go into Hogsmeade. She had told Nate that she would meet him in the village and not to go looking for her before that.

Currently he was chatting with his friends, his light brown hair falling gently into his eyes; the same eyes that constantly swept around for Grace.

When Professor McGonagall stood in front of the assembled students to give her boring old speech on out-of-school behaviour, Grace took her chance. She cautiously crept forward until she was past the winged boars that guarded the castle's gates. From there she took a leisurely pace. Now it was just a case of merging into the throng of students milling her way.

Eventually they came up from behind her all in little groups of friends or couples. Once Nate walked past her she slipped the cloak off and stuffed it in her bag.

"Hey Nate," Grace said.

"Hi," he said, flashing one of those impeccable smiles her way. "How are you?"

"I'm good," she smiled back. "Is there anywhere you want to go in the village?"

"Wherever you want to go," he replied.

"Well then we're going to Honeydukes."

They spent the afternoon visiting all the places that Grace had heard about from her friends including Honeydukes, the Post Office and Zonko's Joke Shop. Every time Grace thought she saw someone who looked remotely like a teacher she grabbed Nate's arm and pulled him into a huddle of other students.

"Okay I know you might not be fans of all the teachers," Nate said after she had done so for the fifth time. "But do you honestly have to run away from people who look like them?"

"I'm sorry Nate," Grace apologized. "I just really hate the teachers, I guess."

The lie slipped out of her mouth easily and she immediately regretted it. As nice as Nate was, he was also a Ravenclaw which made her think he would be very against breaking the rules. And only her dorm-mates knew that she didn't have permission to go into the village. She didn't like bringing up the subject of her uncle with anyone but Harry.

"C'mon I'll buy you a drink. The Three Broomsticks is always nice," Nate offered.

"I would love that," Grace replied smoothly. He hadn't suspected anything at all.

He pushed open the door for her at the friendly pub. Many open fires and candles lined the walls as well as wide windows to make the pub a bright, well-lit room. Along one wall ran the shiny bar behind which stood a tall, blonde haired lady in heels. The rest of the space was occupied by many tables and chairs, all squished snuggly together.

"I'll be right back, see you in a sec," Nate murmured in her ear, blissfully close in the small space.

"Bye," Grace said but her soft words were lost in the noise.

Once he had completely disappeared, Grace trudged over to where her friends were sitting. They had managed to push to large tables together so that Nate's friends were sitting with them as well. It was an amazing day when Fred and George Weasley would sit near rule-abiding Ravenclaws. They weren't even pretty girls that could be flirted with. Trina was sitting next to Oliver Wood who looked distinctly uncomfortable in a crowd of third-years. Nevertheless he had one arm resting on the back of Trina's chair as he and Lee discussed their favourite Quidditch teams.

Ciara and Lee shared the same seat in between the girls and boys. They had been going strong for the past week, and neither could be happier. Although it was a shock to everyone when Lee had first asked Ciara out they had quickly gotten used to it. Fred and George had pulled Miranda and Grace aside during the party to celebrate their Quidditch win to tell them how long that Lee had liked Ciara for. Apparently he wouldn't stop talking about how when there were no girls in their dorm.

"Hey love," Trina greeted. "How's your date been?"

"Well he is quite a gentleman," Grace giggled, taking a seat between Lara and Trina. "How's yours been?"

"Oh alright the second we came in here the boys had to get into a Quidditch conversation," she said reasonably. "Speaking of dates, where is yours?"

"Oh he went off to get us some drinks," Grace explained.

"Naw that is so sweet," Lara tuned in. "You're so lucky, Grace."

"Thanks Lara," Grace smiled. She could see Nate weaving his way to the table so waved him over.

He stood by Grace's chair awkwardly for a moment as all of the chairs were taken.

"Well you could just take my chair," Trina suggested. "Olly and I were just going for a walk."

Oliver's face went quickly from surprise to joy at the prospect of being alone with Trina. He was so happy that he even ignored Fred and George sniggering at Trina's nickname for him.

The first thing Nate did upon taking his seat was take over Oliver's Quidditch conversation with Lee.

"So what's everybody else been doing?" Grace asked to the table in general.

"We stocked up on some school supplies at Zonko's," George said.

"Prank supplies you mean," Lara corrected.

"Yeah and they dragged us around with them," Miranda complained. "I didn't even know that the different brand of Dungbombs really mattered. They all stink right?"

"Nah, some stink more than others," Fred said.

"And they make prank ones that explode before you want them to," George said.

"Of course you guys would be the ones knowing the difference between dungbomb brands," Lara said with a roll of her eyes.

"Yeah but we dragged them in here for a drink pretty quickly," Ciara put in.

"So boys did you manage to get any girls to get a drink with you?" Grace smirked.

"Nah but our natural good looks will take over soon enough," Fred said. "You watch this place will be crawling will girls vying for our attention."

Suddenly a blonde boy wearing a Ravenclaw scarf was standing by Miranda's shoulder. He was lean, had a smiling face and bright blue eyes. Miranda so far hadn't noticed him.

"That's the friend I was telling you about, Louis," Nate whispered in Grace's ear. Chills ran up her spine as she felt his warm breath on her neck and ear.

"The one that thinks Miranda is beautiful?" she said and turned her face so that it was mere inches away from Nate's. His eyes were a deep sea green that entranced her to no end.

"Yeah that's the one," he said

"Hey Miranda," Louis said. Miranda looked over her shoulder, surprised to see him standing there.

"Hey," she said. Quite simple, really.

"Can I buy you a drink?" Louis continued. "Or buy you something from Honeydukes. Whatever's good."

"Oh yeah sure," Miranda agreed. "C'mon let's go to Honeydukes."

"Good on you mate," Nate congratulated Louis when he walked past.

"Well what do you know? The Ravenclaws can get more girls than us," George said and threw his hands up in the air.

"Wait I thought you said you would be able to get dates before the weekend," Hannah pointed out. "So you do need us to be your dates!" Lara shouted.

Fred and George were left spluttering in protest.

"You want to get out of here?" Grace heard in her ear.

"Yes definitely."

Grace and Nate walked out of the pub, leaving an arguing Fred, George and Lara behind. Hannah and Jesse sat there awkwardly as they weren't involved in the argument taking place around them.

Hphphphphphphphphphphphphphp 

"So that was quite some win for Gryffindor last week huh?" Nate said. They had walked out of The Three Broomsticks and ambled down the street, not really heading to anywhere in particular but just walking.

"Yeah Fred and George were being pretty stupid but Harry won us the game in the end," Grace commented.

"Your brother is a pretty good flier," Nate said. "Can you play Quidditch too?"

Grace stared at him. "Don't even go there. I can barely fly in a straight line, let alone throw a ball at the same time."

"Don't worry," he assured her. "You're brilliant at other things."

Grace cheeks blushed as red as her hair. All of a sudden they were engulfed by a wave of fifth year students heading in the opposite direction. Grace reached out through the throng to clutch Nate's hand tightly. She pulled him out of the main street and down an alleyway nearby.

Nate looked pointedly down at their joined hands and a smile grew on his face.

"Well that's nice isn't it?" he stated.

Grace giggled softly on his chest then lifted it to peer around the alley they were standing in. It was a boring street of townhouses except for the two interlocked figures that could be seen in a pool of shadows cast by the door's portico. But it didn't sound like they were talking.

"Ciara?" Grace called out.

"Grace!" Ciara said, startled. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh umm," Grace struggled to find words for why she was in Nate's arms in a deserted alleyway. The business of the main street was swept from her mind. "Just talking. What about you?"

"Lee and I were," Ciara paused. "talking."

"Is that what kissing called now?" Lee cut in.

"Lee!" Ciara scolded.

"Well we're just going to go then," Grace said and backed quickly down another side street, dragging Nate with her. At the sight of Oliver ranting about Quidditch to Trina they turned another corner. It seemed like Trina's Quidditch jumper did the trick.

"Is there anywhere quiet in this town?" Nate complained.

"Well there's no one right here," Grace pointed out.

In that split second Nate leaned forward and pressed his lips softly to hers. One light touch and he was away again. Grace placed her arms around his neck to look into those green eyes. They were almost the same shade as Harry's.

"Hey Grace," Nate said. "I forgot to tell you before how beautiful you look. Will you be my girlfriend?"

"I can't believe that you wouldn't already know the answer to that," Grace laughed. "Yes if you didn't realize."

They stayed like that for a while. Grace's arms around his neck. Nate's arms around her waist.

The colder evening air started to settle in. It was nearing the end of the afternoon.

"I reckon we should head back up to the castle," Nate spoke first.

"Yeah it's getting pretty late," Grace agreed.

They weaved back through the smaller streets with ease, melding back into the rest of the Hogwarts students heading back to the castle. There was something off in Grace's head. She couldn't think what but something was wrong. Miranda appeared by Grace's side, as pretty as usual, now holding hands with Louis, the Ravenclaw boy. A look of surprise crossed her face.

"Grace, aren't you sneaking back in?" Miranda exclaimed in a hushed tone.

"Oh," Grace gasped. That was what felt wrong. She had to get away from Nate and put the invisibility cloak on before she reached the castle gates. "I have to go Nate, bye."

With that she let go of his hand and tore up the path, dragging the invisibility cloak out of her bag at the same time. She had barely got it over her head when she reached the castle gates. It was lucky she did as Filch was prowling the gates making sure there weren't any extra villagers trying to sneak into the school.

Grace ran all the way back up to her dormitory, not even bothering to take any short-cuts. As out of breath as she was when she collapsed onto her bed, she had needed to use the energy that came with getting her first boyfriend. That was when she realized she had a boyfriend who she had left in Hogsmeade by himself. Yeah great way to start a relationship.

**A/N: I was watching Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 while writing the last part. It will never get old. Just thought I'd say that. **

**Thanks for reading!**


	20. Slytherins can be really mean

**A/N: Sorry this chapter doesn't have Harry in it either. But there will be major Harry interaction next chapter, I promise! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. **

Chapter Twenty: Slytherins really can be quite mean.

Bright and early on Sunday morning, Grace waited patiently outside the Great Hall for Nate to appear. Miranda stood next to her, waiting not so patiently. Finally, after an agonising ten minutes of re-braiding hair and discussions about the weather, Nate and Louis appeared at the top of the marble staircase; their hair ruffled and their mouths stretched open in yawns.

"Morning, beautiful," Louis said to Miranda and wrapped her in his arms.

Miranda quickly returned the hug but let go and grabbed his hand.

"C'mon let's get breakfast," she said as she dragged him away.

"Hey," Grace greeted Nate. "How was the rest of the walk home?"

"Honestly I was confused the whole way home," he replied with a frown. "Where'd you go?"

Grace had discussed how to answer this question last night with the girls. Although she didn't want to lie yet again it seemed like the only way to explain why she was running off without talking about her family.

"Lara was tutoring me in Transfiguration. She couldn't do it any other night."

"Oh fair enough," he accepted. "How come Miranda told you to sneak off?"

"She just thought that I wasn't going to tell you about the tutoring so I would sneak away from you," Grace said after some quick thinking. "Being a Ravenclaw you would be so much smarter than me anyway."

Nate cupped Grace's cheek, ever so gently and stared mesmerizingly deep into her eyes with his own green ones.

"I don't care about how smart you are," he murmured. "You're beautiful to me and that's all that matters."

Grace couldn't think of anything to say. No one had ever been that sweet to her before. It took her breath away.

"Thanks Nate," she said. "C'mon let's get breakfast. I promised Hannah we'd go watch her training at lunch so we should probably hurry up."

Hphphphphphphphphphphphphphp 

"Why is History of Magic the most boring class we have?" Ciara complained loudly.

"The teacher is a ghost, Ciara," Miranda pointed out.

"Yeah so we'll be bored to death!" Grace joked.

The joke was greeted with blank looks and no laughs

"You really need to learn how to joke Gracie," Fred said, shaking his head.

"Well us boys are going to the kitchens for lunch," George announced. "We've got some planning to do."

George, Fred and Lee sauntered off with a wave of their hands.

"It's been a few weeks since we pranked the Slytherins and honestly they deserve it," explained Jesse, hanging back for a second to talk to the girls. "Normally I don't get involved in these things but somehow the twins convinced me."

"Have fun then," Trina called after the running boy. The girls continued down the corridor, discussing what could possibly be interesting in History of Magic.

"Well if you listen carefully some of the rebellions the goblins had were quite bloody and fierce," Lara said. "There's a lot of wizard history-"

Lara was cut off mid-sentence by the sound of cries and laughter. They ran around the corner to see what was going on and narrowed their eyes at the scene before them. Neville Longbottom was cowering on floor halfway down the corridor with John Rookwood and Callidus Minos towering over him. Each boy had his wand out, casting numerous hexes at Neville and insulting him in between each spell. Helena was leaning against the wall a few feet away, laughing.

"Why don't you just admit that you're a blood traitor and we'll stop hexing you?" snarled Callidus.

"Why don't you just go away before we start hexing you?" Ciara interrupted.

Callidus turned away from Neville to glare at the Gryffindor girls who were ruining his fun.

"Like we'd ever be scared of you," he sneered. "It's none of your business what we do after class so why don't you just run off and get your noses out of where they shouldn't be?"

"Well actually anything concerning a Gryffindor first year getting bullied does concern us," Grace said politely.

"If you really want to defend him then be my guest," Callidus said as he opened his arms wide open in an invitation.

"Yeah sure," Miranda agreed casually as she pulled out her wand.

Helena scoffed loudly.

"You think we can't take you?" Trina questioned with a confused look clear on her face. "I'm sorry but where exactly is the logic in that? You are clearly outnumbered by girls who are better duellers than you by a million times?"

"So what are you going to do then?" laughed Callidus.

"I'm going to suggest you leave," Grace told him in a tone layered with fake sweetness. "Before we make you."

"Yeah sure we'll just make our way out because you ask," John answered sarcastically.

"Yes," Grace nodded. "That's exactly what I'm saying."

"Callidus!" screeched Helena all of a sudden. "Why aren't you cursing them?"

"Maybe he isn't smart enough to cast a curse," Miranda spoke up. "Have you ever thought of that?"

Callidus stiffened. He raised his wand to point directly at Miranda, who merely lifted her eyebrows. John stepped forward to whisper hurriedly in Callidus' ear. A frown appeared on Callidus' face and he turned to face John angrily.

"C'mon Call," John argued. "It's not worth it."

"Yes actually it is worth it," Ciara interjected. "It's worth defending Neville. It's worth showing you that bullying isn't right. It's worth it just to kick your butts!"

Callidus scowled.

"Let's go, John."

He grabbed John's arm to pull him around and out of the corridor.

"Just because we're leaving now doesn't mean this is over!" Helena snarled. "When one of you is alone then we'll come and get you."

"Like the cowards you are," Lara replied calmly.

"You're a stupid Mudblood so I really don't care about your opinion," scowled Helena, trying to look indifferent by flicking her hair over her shoulder.

The girls flicked their wands out of their pockets menacingly. Helena gave them one look before fleeing in the opposite direction.

"See?" Lara cried. "She's a coward!"

"We know, love," Trina reassured. "We know."

Meanwhile, Hannah was making her way over to the slumped figure crouched against the wall. She knelt beside him and rubbed his back in circular motions.

"Hey it's alright," Hannah soothed. "Slytherins can be really mean so don't worry about them."

"Come on we'll fix you up," Grace joined in.

"Thank you," Neville stammered. "I didn't know what was happening. They just came out of nowhere. The girl asked what my name was and laughed when I told her."

Grace and Hannah lifted his arms over their shoulders to carefully help him to his feet. A collection of boils spread over one side of his face. His nose was starting to grow at an alarming rate in an unusual shape. As Grace and Hannah guided him to the infirmary a limp developed in his walk. Over the back of Neville's head the two girls shared a worried glance.

Just as they were turning away from the corridor Grace heard Lara start to rant angrily.

"I can't stand the way they do that. It's so unfair. Someday I'm going to get that little cow back, I swear."

**Thanks for reading! Please review. **


	21. One Hundred and Fifty House Points Less

**A/N: Yay! Here's some Harry and Ron! Hopefully they're in character. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. **

Chapter Twenty-One: One hundred and Fifty House Points less

The next week passed slowly. The only time Grace got alone was when she was sleeping. She went from busy classes to dinner with Nate to the studying sessions Lara insisted they have (honestly the exams were ten weeks away surely she could cramp in some revision then?) to helping Harry with whatever homework he had then finally collapsing into bed. Any other free night was spent in the hospital wing; cleaning bed sheets or administering medicine to various patients. So that was where she was to be found one Wednesday night.

Grace was collecting up all of the leftover lolly wrappers from a departed patient when there was a knock on the door. The doors were closed after nine' o'clock so patients could get some sleep. Madame Pompfrey was in her office already so Grace went to open the door.

Standing in the doorway was Ron Weasley. He was gingerly cradling one hand with the other for obvious reasons. It was swollen to twice its normal size with a green hue on a jagged cut just above his thumb.

"Come in, come in," she said, pusher the door open wider. "Go lie down. I'll get Madame Pompfrey."

He sat down on the end of the closest bed while Grace rushed off to the end of the hospital wing to the white door of Madame Pompfrey's office and knocked hard.

"Madame Pompfrey, we've got a patient with what looks like a poisoned cut."

In less than a second she was out of her office with her nurse's apron on.

"Go fill up a water jug please Gracie," was all she said before she rushed off to see Ron.

Grace poured out some fresh water from the tap at the end of the wing into a silver jug and carried it to Madame Pompfrey. Ron was now tucked up into the bed on which he had been sitting, his hand being rubbed with a slimy orange ointment. The look of worry was clear on his face.

"Grace, can you please pour Ron here some Infectious Antidote? He needs one cup." Madame Pompfrey asked while she was bandaging Ron's hand tightly. "Make sure he drinks it and goes to sleep, won't you? Then you should go off to bed yourself, my dear."

"Sure thing," she replied. The antidotes were in a cupboard besides the door and but by the time Grace got back to the bed Madame Pompfrey was gone.

"So did you find all the information you needed about Nicholas Flamel?" Grace asked Ron as she unstoppered the potion.

"What?" Ron spluttered. A look of shock crossed his face. "You knew about that?"

"Oh please," Grace shrugged. "Harry told me weeks ago."

"Yeah Harry ended up finding a chocolate frog card that mentioned him as well," Ron relaxed back into the pillows.

"Oh yeah I remember that card," Grace nodded. "The Dumbledore one right? Also says about how Dumbledore found the twelve uses of dragon blood?"

"Don't know why he would have bothered," Ron muttered under his breath. "Dragons are stupid creatures that should be left alone."

Grace pretended she hadn't heard his comment.

"So how did you get this injury anyway?" Grace inquired. "Not meaning to pry, Fred and George say I'm overprotective of younger siblings."

"Um well I must've cut it in Potions or something," he obviously lied. "Those knives get all sorts of ingredients on them so I must've got the infection there."

"I honestly thought it looked more like a bite," Grace frowned. "My mistake. Drink all of this before of go to sleep. Goodnight."

On her way back to the Gryffindor Common room she couldn't stop thinking about what really hurt Ron. His story of cutting his hand in Potions just didn't seem to make sense for a number of reasons. A three-headed dog didn't have poisonous fangs and she was sure that Harry, Ron and Hermione wouldn't go back there. But what else in the castle would have a bite like that?

Grace dearly hoped that the trio weren't getting into any more trouble.

Hphphphphphphphphphphphphphp 

Grace had been trying to distract herself from the thought of Ron's injury for the rest of the week but it kept nudging its way to the forefront of her mind. The girls constantly asked her what was wrong, not believing her when she said that she was just stressed. In a way she was stressed. Stressed about what her little brother was doing with his time.

Then again Nate didn't notice anything at all.

On Sunday morning Grace sleepily descended the marble staircase, half tuning out Miranda's long speech about a boy band, Always Forever that was featured on the Wizarding Wireless Network this morning. Just as she normally would, Grace flicked a glance over to the hourglass that recorded house points. Miranda walked right into her when she froze in shock. Yesterday Gryffindor was in the lead by a large margin but now . . . all the scarlet gems had disappeared.

"Miranda I swear there's something wrong with the hourglass," Grace stated.

Miranda stopped gushing over Always Forever to look back at the hourglass. Her mouth fell open. She stood gaping like a fish for a few minutes.

"What the hell?" Miranda said. "How did we lose one hundred and fifty points overnight? That's just not possible!"

"Fred and George weren't running around last night were they?" Grace wondered aloud.

"I don't know but they wouldn't get caught," Miranda answered. "And they wouldn't dock one hundred and fifty points for two people out at night."

"Yeah true," Grace said. "Well I guess if we go have breakfast somebody will know."

They turned back to the doors of the Great Hall and hurried in. Grace barely noticed where she going until she bumped into a green and silver clad girl.

"Watch where you're going Potter!" one of Helena's snide followers yelled.

Grace merely rolled her eyes and continued to the Gryffindor table.

"Thank your brother for us, Potter," a girly voice called to her back. "That was a big favour he did for us last night."

Grace stopped. Surely the girl whose name Grace couldn't even remember was wrong? Without lifting her feet she turned in a circle to face the smirking Slytherins.

"What did you say?" she said through gritted teeth.

"Your brother, Harry was the one who lost you those house points," the same girl she had bumped into said in a tone that suggested she was talking to a five-year old. For the first time Grace really took notice of the girl. It looked like she had Spanish blood from her darker skin, dark wavy hair and beautiful face in general. "He and a couple of first years decided to go for a late night walk up to the Astronomy tower. Filch caught them coming down the stairs. So now Slytherin are in the lead again."

She finished talking with a smug smile.

One glance back at the table showed Harry sitting with Hermione, trying to block out the glares sent his way.

"Mara!" Helena's shrill voice echoed across the hall. "Come here!"

With one last malicious look at Grace, the so-called Mara darted away.

"What was that about?" Miranda asked, once Grace had sat down next to her.

"Supposedly it was Harry who lost us those points," Grace replied.

"I doubt it," Miranda said as she filled her plate up. "He's the Quidditch star. He wouldn't risk losing all of those house points."

Grace frowned at her. Harry cared about Gryffindor house points sure but it wasn't his entire life.

"No, no," Grace shook her head. "If there was something more important Harry would risk it for a few house points. Admittedly it's more than a few but the point is still there."

"What's really more important though?" Miranda asked. "If it was a matter of life or death I'd understand but there's not a war going on or anything."

Looking up from her own breakfast, Grace stared Miranda straight in the eye when she spoke.

"Remember that three headed dog I told you about? Harry's friends think it's guarding something. Them being up at the Astronomy tower losing house points doesn't have anything to do with it. But there is _something _going on."

Hphphphphphphphphphphphphphp 

Right after breakfast Grace followed Harry and Hermione. The two of them were headed for the hospital wing, most likely to meet Ron.

"Harry!"

He paused at the end of the corridor and motioned for Hermione to go on without him.

"Hey Grace," he greeted, his voice oddly cheerful. "How are you?"

"I'm fine Harry, how are you?"

"No, I'm fine."

"How are you actually?" Grace pressed on.

"Right now I'm pretty sure all of the school hates me."

"Nah, the Slytherins don't hate you," Grace joked. "What was your punishment?"

"Professor McGonagall said that we're getting detention."

"Oh well that's not too bad."

"Are you angry at me for losing house points too?" he asked.

"No Harry," Grace sighed. "I'm just worried that you were in danger. At least you didn't get hurt by whatever bit Ron."

Harry's eyes widened in alarm.

"No, I'm fine," he told her earnestly.

"Harry, you coming?" Ron called out from down the corridor.

"Go on, I'll talk to you later," Grace nudged him to follow his friends. He looked over his shoulder at them before turning back to Grace.

"Grace, have you ever lost that many house points in one go?"

Now that she thought about it, Grace couldn't remember a time when that many house points had been lost by one person.

"I've lost fifty in one go before and would've lost more if my friends had been caught as well," she explained. "We had some fun showing off our Gryffindor pride."

"What did you do?" Harry asked, almost eagerly.

"Let's just say we showed the Slytherins that we're better. I should tell you the story sometime," Grace smiled. As she realized how bad that sounded she quickly tried to backtrack. "But I'm not saying that it's alright to walk around at night. It's like that saying 'do as I say, not as I do."

"Sure thing Gracie," Harry said with the slightest roll of his eyes. Gosh, her little brother really was getting cheeky. "See you later."

"Bye Harry."

He was just about to turn the corner when she spoke again.

"Hey Harry, what were you doing up on the Astronomy tower anyway?"

"It's a long story," Harry shouted down the corridor.

"Well you and I are going to sit down tonight and tell each other stories," she yelled as he disappeared around the corner.

Now she just had to hope his story wasn't that bad.

**Thank for reading!**


	22. Prepared

**A/N: Woo! Updated after two days! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Maybe I should just stop doing disclaimers since you get the idea.**

Chapter Twenty Two- Prepared

Grace spent almost every minute of every day with Harry after that. She had met him in the common room that night to hear why he was on the Astronomy tower but he merely said that he and Hermione wanted to do something Astronomy homework. But her story about pranking the Slytherins managed to make him smile.

At first a few of her friends had been angry at Harry too but after running them through all of the numerous pranks that they had participated in with Fred and George they began to see reason. Fred and George were never actually mad at him.

"The way we see it-," Fred began.

"If you count every single house point we could have lost-," George continued.

"All those times we were never caught," Fred added, shaking his head.

"Then we would have lost over a thousand points," George finished.

"And I would have lost at least two hundred by helping you," Grace informed them.

Grace and her friends were the very small amount of people who still stuck by Harry, Hermione and Neville. Although they were never particularly close before the point loss Harry accepted the third years shadowing him surprisingly well. Since the exams weren't far away they spent most of their time in the library.

It was a nice place to spend, if you ignored Madam Pince breathing down your neck. The sun would spread a dimming glow on the Gryffindors as they crowded around a couple of book-laden tables. Hannah sat at the end of one table, tutoring Neville in Transfiguration. Lara was helping Ron and Harry. At least she was supposed to be helping. Somehow Lara had started a conversation on Wizard history versus Muggle history with Hermione.

Jesse was the only third year boy there. Fred, George and Lee would never set foot in the library. Currently Jesse was gaping at Lara and Hermione with a look of complete confusion on his face.

"I'm glad Harry's got more people to talk to now," Grace commented. "And it's nice for Lara to help him with his homework."

Miranda paused for second, her quill hovering above her essay titled _What is a Beast? _

"Well I guess it's good for him to have some older students around," she said. "But I think Lara got a bit distracted." Trina, Miranda, Grace and Ciara smiled at their intellectual friend.

"You know he tried to quit Quidditch the other day?" Ciara whispered.

"What?" Miranda, Trina and Grace exclaimed in unison.

"Yeah I overheard him talking to Oliver the other day," Ciara explained in a tone that suggested she was revealing the latest piece of gossip. "He absolutely _refused _to let Harry leave. Something about being the only way he could earn all of the house points back. He and Alicia aren't being real nice to him anymore. They refer to him as 'the Seeker'. It's almost like they forgot he has a name!"

"That's so stupid!" Trina exploded. "They're being complete a**holes!"

The study group around them went dead silent.

"Miss Davenport!" Madam Pince had appeared around the nearest bookstore to shriek at Trina. "Do not use that language in the library! Lower your voice or you will have to leave."

"Sorry, miss," Trina said sweetly. "Well I'm going to go talk to Ollie. Maybe a kick to the gut will make him see sense. See you later, my lovelies."

She stood from her chair, swinging her bag over her shoulder and walked out of the library. On her way out she bumped into Nate who was heading the other way.

"Hey," he greeted as Grace stood up to hug him. "How are you?"

"Alright but I'm so sick of exams," Grace complained.

"You haven't even had them yet," he said with amusement.

Grace didn't manage to respond as he pulled her in tighter. Kisses were pressed against her neck and jaw, slowly making their way up to her lips. Unable to stop herself, a moan escaped her mouth. With a jolt of shock, Grace pulled herself away.

"Nate," she frowned. "Can we not to this in front of my little brother?"

"Oh yeah I forgot he was here," Nate said and directed his next words to Harry. "How does it feel knowing you helped Slytherin win the house cup?"

Outrage filled Grace's body at his words. Anger threatened to boil over as she saw Harry stiffen.

"Nate!" she scolded. "How could you say something like that?"

"Easy," he said.

All of a sudden he turned to walk out of the library.

"Are you coming or what, Grace?" he called over his shoulder.

Grace stood there with her mouth open. Everybody gathered on the tables stared expectantly up at her. Filling her was the desire to follow Nate wherever he was going but she knew that she should stay with Harry and finish her homework. That's what everyone except Nate wanted her to do. It's what they expected her to do.

She was torn.

"I'll meet up with you guys later," she said. Without looking anyone in the eye she stuffed her work into her bag and darted out after Nate.

Hphphphphphphphphphphphphphp 

Later that night Grace happily strolled back into the library. She and Nate had simply walked around the castle, ducking into hidden alcoves and exchanging stolen kisses until Grace reluctantly told him that she should head back to the library. Just as she was about to walk through the door, she bumped into Harry who had a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Grace!" he said. "I have to talk to you, Ron and Hermione."

Quickly they gathered up his two friends and found an empty table away from Grace's prying friends. Harry told them how he had overheard someone whimpering in a lonely classroom, being threatened and eventually giving in. Professor Quirrell had run out of the classroom a moment later and Harry was about to look into the when he remembered that he shouldn't pry anymore.

"Snape's done it, then!" said Ron. "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spell-,"

"Yeah and he's just going to just sneak past the three headed dog now is he?" Grace asked sarcastically.

"Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid," said Ron, looking around at all of the information books filling the shelves. "I bet there's a book somewhere in here telling you how to get past a giant three-headed dog. So what do we do Harry?"

A spark of adventure lit up in Ron's eyes. Grace opened her mouth to speak for Harry but before she could Hermione answered.

"Go to Dumbledore. That's what we should have done ages ago. If we try anything ourselves we'll be thrown out for sure."

For the second time that night Grace opened her mouth but was interrupted by Harry.

"But we've got no _proof!_" said Harry. "Quirrell's too scared to back us up. Snape's only got to say he doesn't know how the troll got in at Halloween and that he was nowhere near the third floor corridor- who do you think they'll believe, him or us? It's not exactly a secret that we hate him; Dumbledore'll think we made it up to get him sacked. Filch wouldn't help us if his life depended on it, he's too friendly with Snape, and the more students get thrown out, the better, he'll think. And don't forget, we're not supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy. That'll take a lot of explaining."

"What does Quirrell have to do with it?" Grace asked.

"I saw him and Snape argue about the Stone after the last Quidditch match," Harry explained briefly.

"Harry, you should tell me these things!" Grace cried. "I might be able to help and you know full well my friends are more than willing to help as well!"

"It doesn't matter," Harry said flatly. "We've done enough poking around. We don't need to do anymore."

He pulled a map of Jupiter towards him and ignored Grace's aghast expression.

Hphphphphphphphphphphphphphp 

The following morning at the breakfast table, notes were delivered to Harry, Hermione and Neville. Grace peered over Harry's shoulder to read:

_Your detention will take place at eleven' o'clock tonight._

_Meet Mr Filch in the entrance hall._

_Prof. M. McGonagall_

Grace had been waiting for the strict orderly note to arrive ever since Harry had told her he had detention. In her three years she'd already received a number of them.

"Think of it this way," Grace offered, "in years to come, when you have received many detentions for pranks that Fred, George or I may have pulled you into, you can remember this detention as your first one."

Neither Harry nor Hermione said a word. Grace just sat there, lost in how else to comfort them. At least they didn't have detention with Professor Snape. He could be brutal.

Hphphphphphphphphphphphphphp 

That night Grace stayed down in the common room to wait until Harry returned. She was stretched out in front of the fire, reading a book in the flickering light. Trina had fallen asleep with her head resting on Grace's lap. Grace was sure that the rest of her dorm-mates had hidden somewhere around the room but she let it go for tonight.

At two in the morning Harry, Neville and Hermione walked in. Neville went up to bed immidiatly but Harry and Hermione stayed to talk. When they shook Ron awake he shouted about Quidditch fouls. His shouts woke Trina up, who in response started calling for Oliver. It made Grace wonder what had happened when she went to talk to him earlier today.

Grace sat in shock as Harry told her and Ron how they had to go into the Forbidden Forest (all of the girls, including the hidden ones, in the room had gasped in outrage at this point) to find out what had been hurting one of the unicorns. After Grace's ten minute rage that first years shouldn't be sent into the forest, Harry finally got to speak again. He was paired up with Draco Malfoy after the Slytherin in question had frightened Neville. They found the dead unicorn but something was kneeling over it. Malfoy, the Slytherin coward, had run away. Whatever it was that had killed the unicorn came after Harry. He was saved just in time by one of the centaurs, Firenze who had told him that the thing that was trying to drink the unicorn's blood was the long dead spirit of Lord Voldemort.

It was a lot to take in. The fact that Voldemort was still alive. That he was in the Hogwarts grounds. That he would try to come after Harry and the Stone.

Harry sat down for a moment and jumped straight back up. He was pacing back and forth in front of the fire, shaking the whole time.

"Snape wants the stone for Voldemort. . . and Voldemort's waiting in the forest . . . and all of this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich . . . "

"Stop saying the name!" Ron said in a terrified whisper.

"Oh please," Trina rolled her eyes at him, "it's just a name."

"Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done . . . Bane was furious . . . he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is goin to happen . . . They must show that Voldemort's coming back . . . Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me . . . I suppose that's written in the stars as well."

"_Will you stop saying the name!" _Ron hissed.

"So all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone," Harry continued in a fever of anxiety. "Then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off . . . Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy."

Hermione looked frightened and Trina was shocked.

"Harry, don't you dare say that!" Grace told him. "I, for one, will never let anyone hurt you. You remember what Hagrid said: There's no safer place then Hogwarts! Dumbledore and the rest of the teachers would never let anyone hurt you either! Everyone says that Dumbledore is the only person Voldemort was ever afraid of, anyway. But besides you should never believe in fortune telling. As much as Trina believes in it; it's an imprecise branch of magic with absolutely no benefits. So don't worry."

He still looked unconvinced.

"Oh Harry," Grace sighed and pulled him into a hug. Her mouth widened in a huge yawn and her eyes weighed a tonne. 'And it's almost morning so go to bed."

As soon as the first years had disappeared up the stairs, Grace called out, "I know you guys are there."

"Oh thank god. This wall is uncomfortable to lean against," Miranda groaned when she emerged from behind the chair Ron had been asleep in.

"Well come on then it might be nicer in your own bed," Grace suggested.

"Do you think it's true that Voldemort's back?" Hannah asked worriedly.

"I don't know Hannah," Grace answered grimly. "But if he is then we'll be ready."

**Thanks for reading! Hope you like it!**


	23. Going Under

**A/N: woo! The next chapter is up! It took a while because of assignments. I had to cut this one short because I wanted to get it up sooner. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. **

Chapter Twenty Three- Going Under

As Grace later wrote in her diary, she would never understand how she got through the exams. Every night she would sit by the fire and study with her friends before collapsing into her bed for another night of restlessness worrying about Harry and Voldemort. By morning every scrap of revision from the night before had disappeared from her brain.

She wished that they wouldn't hold the summer exams in the hottest classroom of the whole castle. Countless nights of studying didn't matter when the heat started to make her head hurt.

She was confident in the practical exams. Transfiguration took all of her concentration but she felt sure that in the ended her mouse was a convincing snuff-box. Potions was easy. Grace stood over her cauldron, smirking at Snape hovering behind her cauldron as she correctly brewed each and every part of the Babbling Beverage.

The written exams were terrible. History of Magic required her to list all of the important goblin rebellions and contributing events with their dates in the order that they happened. All she could remember from class was how uncomfortable the desks were as pillows. In the end she just scribbled down a couple of dates that sounded somewhat right.

The last exam was the Potions written exam. Snape prowled around the classroom, peering over the students shoulders at their answers. It was enough to make any student nervous but Grace was confident in this exam. After all Potions was her best class.

Finally the sand in the timer at the top of the classroom ran out. Grace flung her exam-approved quill down onto the paper, grabbed her bag and sprinted out of the dungeons. Once out in the sweltering sun by the lake she spun around and around and around, feeling her red hair fly into her face. Out of nowhere, Ciara collided into her in a rush of sandy hair.

"It's over!" she screamed. "We don't have any more studying to do!"

"We're free!" Grace cried.

She and Ciara latched onto Miranda and Hannah's hands and tugged them round and round in dizzying circles. A giggling Trina pulled Lara into the fray of bodies.

All Grace could hear was the laughter of her friends.

All Grace could see the blurring of her friends' bodies against the bright blue sky.

Finally the tight grip on Grace's hand let her go and she went tumbling on to the soft sand.

"You girls are crazy," George commented from where he, Fred and Lee had settled into the shallows of the lake to tickle the Giant Squid.

"We're not the ones tickling a potentially dangerous squid," Grace replied.

George just rolled his eyes at her.

"How'd you go on your exam?" Nate called to her as he and Louis approached.

"Fine," Grace smiled. "How was yours?"

"I did brilliant," he stated with an air of smugness.

"Course you did."

Grace slipped her arms out of her light summer robes and left in it a crumpled heap on the ground to leave her in her blouse and skirt. She slipped her hands into Nate's so together they gently fell down on the sand. It was warm and comfortable. Grace's eyelids fluttered to a close. She snuggled closer to Nate's chest, peeking up at him through her eyelashes. A small smile lit up her face until she saw something behind him.

Three first years were scurrying up the path to the Entrance Hall. Harry led the way with Hermione and Ron struggling to keep up with him. There was an air of urgency about them.

"I gotta go," Grace mumbled. She planted a swift kiss on Nate's cheek and half-tripped over his arms in her haste to chase after Harry.

"So," Miranda panted. "Where are we going?"

Grace looked around in surprise to see Miranda, Ciara, Trina, Lara and Hannah had caught up with her. All five were looking at her expectantly, waiting for her to answer Miranda's question.

"I saw Harry, Ron and Hermione running inside," she said evenly. "They looked slightly suspicious and I want to find out why."

"Well what are we standing around here for?" Lara asked.

They found Harry, Ron and Hermione when they were arguing with Professor McGonagall. Judging by the pile of books lying forgotten at her feet and the shocked look on her face, Grace guessed Harry had told her some of what they knew about the Philosopher's Stone.

"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," Grace heard her say. "I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."

"But Professor-," Harry protested.

"Potter, I know what I'm talking about," She said shortly. She bent down to gather up her books, catching sight of Grace as she did so. "Ms Potter, I hold you to your promise earlier in the year to look after your brother. I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."

None of them moved.

"It's tonight," Harry said as soon as Professor McGonagall was out of earshot. He didn't seem to care that a group of six third-year girls had suddenly turned up. "Snape's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note; I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up."

"So what do we-," Grace started but broke off at Hermione, Lara, Trina and Hannah's collective gasp. Wheeling around she saw what the problem was.

Professor Snape was standing there.

"Good afternoon," he said smoothly.

A mumble of sarcastic replies came from the third years. Ron, Harry and Hermione simply stared at him.

"You shouldn't be inside on a day like this," he said with a smile that made Grace's gut drop.

"We were-," Harry began, clearly lost on how to continue.

"Grabbing some food," Grace supplied.

"You want to be more careful," said Snape. "Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose any more points, can they?"

Grace felt Ciara, Lara and Trina stiffen beside her. A dark flush was creeping up Harry's neck. She grabbed his arm to drag him outside when Snape called them back.

"Be warned, Potter- any more night-time wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you."

He strode off up the stairs.

Once through the oak doors, Harry turned to the small crowd surrounding him.

"Right here's what we've got to do," he whispered, just loud enough for the group to hear. "One of us has to keep an eye on Snape- wait outside the staffroom and follow him as he leaves."

"Lara and Hermione should go," Grace offered.

"Why us?" Lara asked.

"It's obvious," Ron said. "You can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick, you know." He put on a girly voice, "Oh Professor Flitwick, I'm so worried, I think I got question fourteen b wrong. . ."

"Oh shut up," Hermione argued weakly. Lara was scowling at Ron, clearly about to scold him but after a moment agreed to go and watch for Snape.

"Ron and I are going to stay outside the third-floor corridor," Harry declared. "Let's go."

"We'll meet you in the common room after dinner," Grace said.

But not long after Grace arrived back in the common room Harry and Ron joined him once again. Professor McGonagall found them and threatened to take more house points from Gryffindor if they didn't leave. About a second later Hermione and Lara scurried through the portrait hole.

"I'm sorry, Harry," Hermione wailed. "Snape came out and asked us what we were doing, and I panicked, so Lara said we were both waiting for Flitwick, and Snape went to get him. I ran, Harry, I got scared. Neither of us knows where Snape went."

"It's not your fault Hermione," Lara and Grace said together.

"Well that's it then, isn't it?" Harry said.

Nobody spoke. Harry's eyes were glittering and his face was pale.

"What's it?" Grace asked.

"I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get to the Stone first."

"You're mad!" Ron said.

"Really, really mad," Ciara agreed.

"Won't you get hurt?" Hannah said.

"It's dangerous!" Grace shrieked. "A three-headed dog is the first obstacle and you know the teachers set most of the way to the Stone. You won't be able to get through there by yourself. And, not that it matters that much, but you might be expelled as well!"

Hermione nodded earnestly at her last statement.

"SO WHAT?" Harry shouted. "Don't you understand? If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! I don't care if I get hurt! Grace, you of all people should how I feel! I know the sort of effect he can have on someone's life and that's what'll happen! If I don't succeed and I have to go back to the Dursleys, I'll just wait for Voldemort to find me there! It's only dying a bit later than I would have done, because I'm not joining his side. I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and nothing any of you can say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed our parents, remember?" The last words were directed straight at Grace.

His words hit close to home. There was no way Grace was letting him go tonight without her. She wanted her own revenge at Voldemort just as much as he did.

"I'm coming with you, Harry," Grace said in a small voice.

He looked as though he wanted to argue with her. "We'll use the invisibility cloak," he eventually said. "It's just lucky I got it back."

"But will it cover the four of us?" Ron said.

"If you take the cloak how are we supposed to sneak around?" Miranda asked.

"The f-four of us?" Harry stammered.

"Oh, come off it, you don't think we'd let just Grace go with you?" Ciara interjected. "We want to help too."

"Of course not," Hermione said briskly. "How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us? I'd better go and look through my books, there might be something useful . . ."

"But what if any of you get expelled?"

"Not if we can help it," said Hermione grimly. "Lara, Hannah and I were talking about test scores before. Each of us got over one hundred and ten percent. They're not throwing any of us out after that."

Hphphphphphphphphphphphphphp 

After dinner Grace and her friends huddled close together in the common room. Fred, George, Jesse and Lee were joking around nearby. She could see Harry, Hermione and Ron on the other side of the room but decided to wait until the room cleared out to go talk to them. Nobody else was bothering to talk to them either.

"What are you girls studying for?" Jesse asked. Trina, Hannah, Ciara and Lara were reading various defence books in preparation for tonight.

"You do know the exams are over right?" Fred said.

"Just because the exams are over doesn't mean we can't read!" Lara said indignantly.

"Yeah but I like to have a good conversation with Ciara before bed," Lee pouted. "And it's hard to do that when you're all stuck in a book!"

"Well we can talk tomorrow night, love," Ciara said edgily.

Grace glanced around to see that they and Harry were the only ones left downstairs.

"Well, we don't feel like hanging around a bunch of bookworms," George said. "Grace, Miranda, you coming?"

Both declined the offer. Fred, George and Jesse left to go upstairs. Now Lee was the only boy left, who was desperately trying to grab Ciara's book from her hands.

"Lee," she snapped in impatience. "Can you just go to bed please? We'll have a nice long conversation in the morning okay?"

"Exams are over, there isn't even anything to study for," he argued back at her. "What's up tonight?"

"Lee Jordan!" Ciara yelled. "Go to bed already!"

"Fine," Lee grumbled, slouching off up the stairs with a disgruntled look on his face. Harry followed him up not a moment after.

"That's our cue then," Grace murmured to Miranda.

"We'll put the cloak on here, and make sure it covers all three of us- how are you girls going to get there?"

"What are you doing?" a voice spoke from the corner of the room. Grace jumped as Neville appeared from behind from behind an armchair with his toad clutched tight to his chest.

"Nothing, Neville, nothing," Harry lied, struggling to hide the cloak behind his back.

"You're going out again aren't you?"

"No, of course not Neville, we wouldn't," Hermione struggled to reassure him.

"Don't lie," Neville said. "You'll lose us even more points! I won't let you go,"

"Neville," Hannah said. She stepped forward from behind Trina before Harry could say anything else. "We've got something really really important to do. Please trust us that we're not trying to get into trouble. We won't let any teachers see us. I promise you that we won't lose any more points. Just let us go,"

"What do you need to do?" Neville asked.

"I can't tell you that," Hannah said with regret clear in her voice.

Those five words made the difference in Neville's mind. He scurried over to the portrait hole and raised his fists.

"I won't let you," he said. "I'll-I'll fight you!"

"_Neville_," Ron exploded. "Get away from that hole and don't be an idiot-,"

"Don't you call me an idiot!" Neville said. "I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up for people!"

"Yes, but not to _us_," Ron said. "Neville, you don't know what you're doing."

He took a step toward Neville. The girls in the room all broke out in pleas for Neville to move. Ron continued telling him to move.

"Please don't do this Neville," Hannah said.

"We do have something important to do," Lara said.

"Just move," Ron said.

"You don't have to fight anyone," Grace said.

"It's nine against one Neville," Miranda pointed out. "Those aren't good odds."

Neville stood trembling with his fists still raised. At every different bit of advice he lowered them than pulled them up again. A scared and confused look was in his eyes.

"Oh for goodness sake," Hermione cried. "_Petrificus Totalus!"_

Neville's arms snapped to his side and stuck there. His legs flung together. Not being able to move, he swayed for a moment then toppled backwards as rigid as a board.

Hannah immediately ran over to check if he was alright, followed by Hermione. The only part of him that could move was his eyes, both of which stared up at them in horror.

"What've you done to him?" Hannah whispered. "Will he be alright?"

"It's the full Body-Bind," Hermione said miserably. "Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry."

"We had to, Neville, no time to explain," Harry said.

"We'll go first Harry," Grace told her brother. "Wait a few minutes then leave after us with the invisibility cloak on. We're more experienced with sneaking around so we'll be fine. C'mon."

With one last pitiful glance back at Neville all six of the older girls scurried out of the portrait hole and down the dark corridor. There was no light to guide them, just previous experience.

"Which passageway should we take?" Lara asked.

"The moving staircases behind the painting of Godric Gryffindor should take us most of the way," Grace answered. "We'll just have to be careful for the rest."

Miranda jerked open the painting that revealed the tight winding stair case. All of them quickly hurried in. Ciara barely managed to cast the charm that made the stairs move as they raced down. Grace went flying into Miranda when she stopped outside the third floor doorway.

"So we sneak down to the doorway and hide in the shadows until Harry, Ron and Hermione arrive?" Trina confirmed. Five yeses reverberated in the tiny space.

"Let's go," Ciara said from the back.

One light lit up the corridor. A lamp was bobbing with its owner in turns outside the third floor corridor.

Lara whispered a couple of words that no one could hear under her breath. Another light flickered at the opposite side of the landing. It bounced up for a second then darted away, screeching all the while. Filch growled under his breath and hobbled after it.

"That was brilliant, Lara," Grace said in awe.

"Thanks and the door's open," she responded.

Somehow, at the sight of the door slight ajar, the enormity of what they were facing hit them. Open in the air was the question of whether anybody was going to abandon them for the safety of the common room.

"So what sort of cock-and-bull story do you think Snape feed Filch?" Ciara said. Relieved smiles broke out on all of their faces. Their relief only lasted a moment. Hermione, Ron and Harry appeared next to them, having thrown the cloak off. Their faces were grim as if a final decision had been made.

Without another word Harry pushed the door open.

Low, threatening growls met their ears. Three sniffing noses poked around the air from the corner of the room, quickly spotting the group of students that had decided to wander into its territory.

As soon as Fluffy took its first step forward Harry brought a wooden flute up to his lips. He blew unconnected notes until Fluffy's eyelids slowly sank. In mere seconds it wobbled and sank to its knees, fast asleep.

"Look there's a harp at its feet," Hermione pointed out. "Snape must have left it there."

"Be careful," Lara warned. "It might wake up as soon as you stop playing."

Ciara, Ron and Grace crept forward to the trapdoor. Grace made a face as she felt the hot, smelly breath of the giant heads.

"Want to go first Hermione?" Ron said.

"No, I don't!"

"We will," Grace said. Her friends nodded in agreement.

"All right then," Ron grimaced and carefully made his way over the dog's legs to the trapdoor. He bent and tugged on the rusty ring of the trapdoor until it swung wide open.

"What's it like down there?" Trina asked nervously.

"I can't see anything- just black," Ron said. "And there's no way of climbing down, we'll just have to drop."

Harry, with one hand still playing the flute, waved to Ron so he could gesture to himself and the trapdoor.

"You want to go first? But Grace said-,"

"We're going now," Grace interrupted. "If it's not safe to follow then we'll yell up to you. Harry, come straight after us if you want to go first but only if we say it's alright to jump. Make sure you never stop playing the flute until we've all jumped."

Harry nodded swiftly. Grace grabbed Ciara and Miranda's hands in her own.

"Ready?"

"As I'll ever be," Miranda replied.

They toed the edge of the trapdoor until their heels were barely balancing on the floorboards. In one movement each of them stepped forward, falling down, down, down. Cold air rushed into Grace's eyes. She squeezed them tight until she landed.

With a soft thump Grace's fall ended on something cushiony. Blinking in the darkness she struggled to sit up and saw Miranda and Ciara besides her lying on a vinelike plant that twisted and slithered in the same manner that a snake would.

"Well it's good this plant is here," Hannah said.

"And it's really comfy too," Trina added.

"Harry you can jump," Grace called up. "It's all good."

"Good?" Lara shrieked. "This is Devil's Snare! It's the opposite of good!"

Just as Harry and Ron landed one after another Lara jumped from where she was on to the damp walkway next to the wall. Everybody jerked their heads up at a loud bark but Hermione was already on her way towards them. With a neat little fall she landed besides Harry.

"We must be miles under the school, she said.

"Lucky this plant thing's here, really," said Ron.

"No it's not!" shrieked Hermione. "Look at you both!"

Grace looked at them to see that both of their legs had been bound by long creepers. Her own legs were loosely bound but Miranda, Trina and Ciara had tendrils around tight around their waists as well. Launching herself up from her stomach muscles Grace grabbed Hannah's hand and pulled her towards the wall. Their feet caught around slithering parts of the plant but with Hannah's strength and Grace's determination both arrived safely on the plant-less floor. Hermione joined them after wrenching the horrid thing off of herself.

"Stop moving!" Hermione ordered them.

"I know what this is," Lara shouted for the second time that night. "It's Devil's Snare!"

"Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help," snarled Ron, leaning back, trying to stop the plant from curling around his neck.

"Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!" said Hermione. She, Lara and Hannah gathered tightly together as they were the ones most likely to know what to do.

"Well, hurry up, I can't breathe!" Harry gasped, wrestling with it as it curled around his chest.

"Anytime now will do," Ciara choked out through tears as it slowly came around her neck.

"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare," Lara muttered to herself.

"I can't remember what Professor Sprout said," Hannah fretted. "Devil's Snare likes the damp-"

"And hates the light," Lara and Hermione finished for her.

"So light a fire!" Harry managed to say.

"Yes - of course - but there's no wood!" Hermione cried, wringing her hands. Lara let out a loud sigh of exasperation.

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" Ron bellowed. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"

"Oh, right!" said Hermione, and she whipped out her wand, waved it, muttered something, and sent a jet of the same bluebell flames she had used on Snape at the plant. In a matter of seconds, the two boys felt it loosening its grip as it cringed away from the light and warmth. Hannah and Lara joined in with their own spells of larger proportions. Wriggling and flailing, it unravelled itself from their bodies, and they were able to pull free. Grace knelt by the edge of the floor to grip Miranda and Ciara's hands.

"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione," said Harry as he joined her by the wall, wiping sweat off his face.

"Lucky Hannah and Lara pay attention," Grace reminded him pointedly.

"Yeah," said Ron, "and lucky Harry doesn't lose his head in a crisis - 'there's no wood, ' honestly.'" "This way," said Harry, pointing down a stone passageway, which was the only way forward.

Grace gripped Ciara's hand tightly as they walked down the sloping passageway. The walls dripped with water. The scene was only made even more ominous by the loud clangs of their footsteps in the silence. Looking around Grace saw Miranda rubbing her bruised neck sorely and made Grace grimace in pity. A strange clinking and rustling came from down the passageway.

"Can you hear that?" Grace whispered to Miranda.

"Yeah," she replied. "I can't tell what it is."

"Sounds metallic."

"We're almost there," Lara called out.

They reached the end of the passageway and entered a brightly lit chamber with a high arched ceiling. All around the air were small, jewel-like birds, tumbling around like acrobatics. A heavy wooden door marked the only way on.

"Do you think they'll attack us if we cross the room?" said Ron.

"Probably," said Harry. "They don't look very vicious, but I suppose if they all swooped down at once... Well, there's no other choice... I'll run."

He took a deep breath, covered his face with his arms, and sprinted across the room. Grace reached forward to hold him back but stopped in wonder at the sight of the birds continuing to fly. She followed Harry to the door, cautious but slightly less wary after seeing that Harry was unscathed. Harry was tugging at the door, desperately trying to open it but it was locked. They tried everything; tugging, heaving, Alohomora even kicking the door but it still stayed shut.

"Now what?" Ron asked.

"There's got to be more to these birds," Ciara growled.

Grace watched the birds soar around the room, marvelling at their wings and the odd clicking sound they made while they flew. It was something she always heard when Madam Pompfrey closed up the hospital wing for the night.

"They're not birds!" Harry and Grace exclaimed together. "They're keys!"

"Winged keys - look carefully. So that must mean..." he continued to explain.

He looked around the chamber while everyone else squinted up at the flock of keys.

"Look broomsticks," Grace pointed. "There are three of them."

Automatically Ciara and Hannah made their way to the brooms followed by Harry. They mounted the brooms and kicked off.

"But there are hundreds of them!" Ron said. "How are they supposed to get the right one?"

"There's a reason Ollie chose these three for the team," Trina said proudly. "If anyone can get the key it's them."

"And we could always help them from down here," Miranda said.

"We're looking for a big, old-fashioned one - probably silver, like the handle," Hermione called up to Ciara, Hannah and Harry from where she was examining the door.

The three in the air separated to search for the right key.

Grace watched with baited breath.

"It's that one up there!" Harry called out.

Up in the very corner of the room hovered an old silver key with one broken wing. Hannah and Ciara circled up to where Harry was floating gently.

"No wonder he's the youngest Seeker in a century," Miranda muttered.

"We're going to try a move Wood taught us the other night," Ciara called down to them. "Get ready to catch the key."

They split apart from their tight circle. Ciara darted directly at the key and started chasing it down. The rest of the keys gathered in a tight bunch to protect their assailed comrade. As Ciara neared the ground Hannah joined her at a different angle. The key they wanted dodged to the left but Harry popped out from behind an arch to secure the key in his hand. Battering off the different keys he threw the key down to where Ron jumped up and caught it.

It only took a moment for Ron to fumble with the key before he managed to fling the door wide open. He, Hermione, Trina and Miranda scrambled in to the next room while Ciara, Hannah and Harry shot, like bullets, to the door.

"Quick," Harry shouted. "Close the door as soon as we're through."

Lara and Grace moved into the other room and slammed the door the second that Ciara, Hannah and Harry flew through with the flock of keys after them. Each skidded to a halt, sliding across the stone floor and rolling clumsily off their brooms.

"Urgh, what's that smell?" Miranda said, wrinkling her nose.

She could tell what Miranda meant about the smell. It was a mixture of foot and BO but a thousand times worse. Grace remembered the smell from somewhere but couldn't recall where. Grace looked around the room for the first time since entering. It was a plain room about the size of a large hall with a cavernous roof. Nothing was in the room except for a dark shadow in the direction that the smell was coming from. Grunts sounded in increasing volume as the shadow moved into the light.

Heaving itself to its feet was a great, big, dirty troll.

It's grey skin wrinkled over its lumpy body. In its hand was a simple wooden club. The troll was at least ten feet taller than the one Grace had encountered earlier in the year. That was where Grace knew the smell from.

"Oh that," Miranda breathed in shock.

The troll stumbled forward a few steps and let out an ear-splitting roar when it realized that several some ones were there.

"What are we going to do?" Hermione squeaked.

"We can handle this," Ciara said.

A shadow passed over them. The troll was getting closer.

"No," Harry said. "We can't leave you with that."

"Harry, Snape could already be at the Stone by now," Grace told him. "There's six of us and one troll; we'll be fine. I know you can handle anything up ahead," Grace ruffled in his hair in a swift movement, "but trust me that I'll be there the second anything happens."

"Grace!" Hannah screamed.

The troll had raised its club above its head and was about to bring it down on them. Grace pushed Harry away from her towards Ron and Hermione.

"GO!" the six girls yelled.

They scattered.

They split into groups of threes to run in different directions. Without another word Harry, Ron and Hermione disappeared through the door. Grace stood still for a moment before screams brought her back to reality. The girls were running around in circles, trying to avoid the troll's swinging club.

"Hannah, you didn't happen to read anything useful about trolls last night?" Trina asked, rolling on the floor and barely missing getting smashed by the troll's club.

"There were a couple of spells," Hannah replied. "They all sounded really hard though."

"Something's better than nothing," Ciara encouraged.

Grace attempted to distract the troll from Hannah while she and Lara came up with a plan. It was steadily getting more and more frustrated that all of its attackers were still out of reach.

All at the same time, Miranda ran up to kick the troll's feet, Ciara leaped up to latch onto the trolls free hand and Grace shot numerous jinxes at its stomach. With a loud roar it flung both arms out. Ciara was sent flying across the room into the wall. Lara's screams were cut off as the club in the troll's other hand collided hard enough with her body to send her hurtling into Ciara.

Several screams echoed around the room.

"Reducto!" Hannah shouted, pointing her wand at the section of roof directly above the trolls head.

Rubble crumbled down on them. A large chunk fell onto the troll's head making it sway dangerously. Hannah, Miranda, Trina and Grace realized what was going to happen a second before it did.

They scrambled through the cloud of dust and slammed into the just in time to get out from under the troll. Without hesitation they crouched by Lara and Ciara's limp forms. Grace recalled the medical lesson Madam Pompfrey had given her just a few weeks ago.

"_If a person is unconscious move them onto their side and shift one leg closer to their chest to ensure their breathing passages are clear. Of course a fully-trained healer would be able to revive someone with a simple spell but you aren't quite there yet."_

Miranda helped her move Ciara into the correct position. Trina and Hannah copied her actions with Lara. Both were breathing steadily and seemed to just be asleep.

Now that the troll was taken care of the only thing on her mind was Harry. The sisterly part of Grace urged her to go to him, whatever it takes and make sure he was alright.

"Go," Miranda whispered. "Do your thing. Just make sure you bring Harry back to us."

That was all the encouragement Grace needed to bolt out the door.

**A/N: Woah this chapter was five and a half thousand words! And it's the second last chapter before I wrap this one up. Yay! **

**Thanks for reading!**


	24. Glad That's Over

Chapter Twenty-Four: Glad that's over

When Grace entered the next room it took her by surprise. A marble chessboard spread across the floor, layered with fallen men. It looked like a battle had already been fought and lost.

Grace skidded across the room and stopped at the other end when Hermione emerged from a flaming doorway. Harry and Ron were nowhere to be seen.

"Grace!" she cried.

"Hermione what's happened?" Grace asked as she rushed up to the other girl. "Where's Harry? What about Ron? And what the hell is this?"

Taking a deep breath before speaking Hermione said, "Harry's moved through the next room to get the Stone. We had to play a game of giant wizard chess for this door to open and . . . Ron was so brave. He sacrificed himself so we could win."

"Where is he?" Grace questioned briskly.

Hermione led her over to where Ron was lying unconscious to the side of the chessboard. Grace checked him over for any serious injuries other than the concussion but only found a few bruises. He stirred awake just as she finished.

"W-what's going on?" he asked Hermione blearily. His eyes widened in remembrance and he sat up straight in a jolt.

"Hey be careful," Grace warned. "You'll be dizzy if you start moving too quickly. Take it easy for a while."

Ron nodded and leaned back on his elbows.

"So what are you going to do now?" Hermione asked.

"I'm going to go help Harry however I can," Grace grimaced. "I don't know how much help I'll be but I promised him I would be there."

"You'll need this," Hermione said. She reached into the pocket of her skirt to pull out a tiny bottle of potion. "I duplicated it before Harry drank the original one. I thought you might need it. Once you're in the next room both door will burst into flames. Drink this and you can walk through the next door."

"Thank you Hermione," Grace said sincerely. She hugged Hermione tightly and gave Ron a kiss on the cheek. "Remember what I told you about moving. As soon as you can stand up get the other girls and find Professor McGonagall. You don't know when Professor Dumbledore will be back so just talk to her."

It was only when Grace's hand was on the doorknob that she heard Ron called out to her, "Good luck."

With those words in mind she walked through the door. Like Hermione had said the door she had walked through and the one leading on burst into flames.

Grace headed to the next door, stopping only when the flames licked her boots. She swiftly gulped down the potion, shuddered at the icy feeling that burned through her veins and cautiously stepped through the door.

In the middle of the room stood the Mirror of Erised. Its gold frame cast a magnificent glow around the room. Harry sat in the middle of the room his arms and legs tied together with a length of rope.

And in front of the mirror was someone Grace never expected.

It was Professor Quirrell.

"Ahh good, now your sister has joined us as well," Quirrell said.

Keeping her wand steady but ignoring Quirrell at the same time, Grace edged closer to Harry.

"What's going on?" she asked. "I thought Snape was trying to steal the Stone."

"We've already been through this," Quirrell said as if tired of the situation. "If you'll just join your brother over there, we can get on with getting the Stone."

"No!" Grace exclaimed.

She started forward to attempt to duel him but he clicked his fingers. Ropes spring out of thin air to wrap themselves around her arms and legs. Her wand clattered to the ground as her arms were pressed against her body. Losing her balance with her legs pulled together, Grace toppled backwards. Harry lowered himself to the ground as Quirrell turned back to face the mirror.

"Well that plan didn't work," Grace muttered. "Where's Snape anyway?"

"It was never him," Harry whispered. "It was always Quirrell. We just never thought it could have been him."

Grace jerked her head back towards the mirror when she heard the sound of another voice in the room.

"Use the boy . . . Use the boy."

Grace wriggled in her bindings, trying to at least get one hand free to reach for Harry.

But she wasn't quick enough. Quirrell clapped his hands to let the ropes fall from Harry who carefully got to his feet and made his way towards the mirror.

"Come here," Quirrell repeated. "Look in the mirror and tell me what you see."

Harry glanced behind him and caught Grace's eye. He stared into the mirror for a couple of minutes. Grace's heart pounded.

"Well?" said Quirrell impatiently. "What do you see?"

"I see myself shaking hands with Dumbledore," Harry said. Maybe it was because she was his sister but Grace could tell he was lying. "I-I've won the house cup for Gryffindor."

"Get out of the way," Quirrell said roughly.

Harry moved aside but he hadn't walked five paces before a high voice spoke. Grace swore that Quirrell hadn't moved his lips.

"He lies... He lies... "

"Potter, come back here!" Quirrell barked. "Tell me the truth! What did you just see?"

Grace held her breath and started when the high voice spoke again.

"Let me speak to him... Face-to-face... "

An anxious look crossed over Quirrell's face. It was a strange look- half worry, half fear.

"Master, you are not strong enough!"

"I have strength enough... For this... "

If Grace was right in who Professor Quirrell was talking to then Lord Voldemort was in the room right now. She squirmed up to her knees but stopped when Quirrell reached up to un-wrap his turban. Grace knelt there watching as the turban fell from his head. Where the back of Quirrell's head should have been was only a face. A horrible face. Deathly white with evil red eyes and snake-like slits for a nose.

"Harry Potter."

Grace screamed.

"And Grace Potter."

"What do you want from us?" Grace yelled, getting to her feet.

Lord Voldemort laughed. "Can't you see what I have become?" he said. "Mere shadow and vapour... I have form only when I can share another's body... But there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds... Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks... You saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the forest... And once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own... Now... Why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?"

Grace gasped. She had no idea how Harry had the Stone in his pockets or how Voldemort knew it was there. Harry was stumbling backwards, closer to Grace.

"Don't be a fool," snarled Voldemort. "Better save your own life and join me... Or you'll meet the same end as your parents... They died begging me for mercy... "

"LIAR!" Harry shouted in defence of his parents.

Quirrell walked back towards Harry and Grace so Voldemort could still see them. Grace wiggled so that the ropes around her shoulders eased its way down her arms until it fell down her slim wrists. Grace was working so hard she missed what Voldemort had said.

"I always value bravery... Yes, boy, your parents were brave... I killed your father first; and he put up a courageous fight... But your mother needn't have died... She was trying to protect you... Just like Grace here. . . I'm going to have to kill her, Harry. . . Now give me the Stone, unless you want her to die in vain."

Panic rose in Grace's chest.

"NEVER!" Harry screamed.

Harry sprang toward Grace, a hand reaching for her own, but Voldemort screamed "SEIZE HIM!"

The next second, Quirrell's grabbed Harry's wrist. At once Harry's face contorted in pain and he screamed, struggling as hard as he could. To Grace's surprise Quirrell let go of Harry's wrist almost immediately, moving to hunch in a corner of the room and hold his hand in pain. Blisters appeared on his fingers in mere seconds.

"Seize him! SEIZE HIM!" shrieked Voldemort.

Quirrell lunged. The force was too much for Harry and they both fell on the floor with Quirrell's hands tight around Harry's neck. Grace dropped to the floor and crawled towards them. She was about to pull Quirrell off Harry when Quirrell started to howl in obvious agony.

"Master, I cannot hold him - my hands - my hands!"

He lifted his hands off Harry's neck to see them shiny and red.

Grace took her chance and kicked him with all her might right in the chest. He staggered off of Harry. It only took that moment of distraction for Harry to grab his face in his hands.

Grace saw his plan instantly. Whenever Quirrell touched Harry in any way in caused him immeasurable pain- clearly showed in the way he was screaming and writhing.

Voldemort was yelling at him to finish Harry off. Grace couldn't just sit here doing nothing.

She rolled around and snatched her wand from the ground. There weren't many spells she could think of so she did the first thing that came to mind.

"_Aguamenti!"_

The shot of water that splashed into Voldemort's face startled him enough to turn his attention onto Grace. Quirrell's arm was still on Harry's when the door banged open behind them.

Dumbledore rushed in, his silver hair and beard streaming behind him.

Harry's arm was wrenched from Quirrell's hand as Grace jumped up to save him. In each other's arms Grace and Harry fell to the ground- the latter having lost consciousness moments before.

Before Grace's eyes the effect of Harry's skin was becoming apparent. Quirrell's face was crumbling like dried clay. The crumbling spread from his face down his neck to his chest, arms and legs. It wasn't long before his whole body was replaced by a smoky form with the same transparent face that Voldemort had.

It floated before them, threatening and scary. Grace shrank away from it.

Cracks like lightning echoed around the room from Dumbledore's wand. He sent spell after spell at Voldemort. It didn't take for Voldemort's ghost to whisk away through the nearest wall. He was gone.

The one thought Grace had as Dumbledore hurried towards them was that she was glad that's over.

Hphphphphphphphphphphphphphp 

Grace rummaged through Harry's pile of sweets until her fingers claimed the chocolate frog she had been searching for.

"Aha!" she exclaimed. "Exactly what I wanted! Thank you for the generous use of your sweets, dear brother."

Harry looked at her from his hospital bed.

"You can have as much as you want," he said. "I owe you that much since-"

"Harry, we've been over this," Grace groaned over him. "You owe me nothing. You're my brother. I told you that I would be there for you so I was. Family sticks together remember?"

Grace finished by nudging him in the shoulder with one of her own bandaged hands and popped the chocolate in her mouth.

"But Voldemort said-"

"Drop it, Harry," Grace said flatly. "Just put up with the fact that I like to save my baby brother."

Looking away from his scowling face, Grace saw Ron and Hermione walking towards them.

"I'll leave you alone then, shall I?" Grace inquired.

She took Harry's grateful smile as a 'yes'. Snatching up a bag of pumpkin pasties, she sauntered over to the curtained off area where Lara and Ciara were.

After Dumbledore had gotten rid of Voldemort he had conjured up a floating stretcher for Harry. The rest of the girls were already at the hospital wing when they walked through the previously intimidating walk back to the third floor. Once outside the hospital wing, Dumbledore had left Grace there to go deal with something important.

Both girls were sitting up brightly in bed. Apart from the bandages tight around Lara's chest and the bruising on Ciara's arms, there was no sign of injury on either of them.

Around Lara's bed, whether cuddled up next to her or cross-legged at the foot of the bed, were all of Grace's other friends. Jesse, Fred and George were sprawled on the floor, experimenting with Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans while the girls stared at Ciara and Lee talking on the other bed.

"Hey, what's going on?" Grace greeted when she took a perch on the frame of Lara's bed.

"What?" Trina started out of a daze. "Oh, hey, sweetie. We were just watching Ciara and Lee being cute."

Grace turned her gaze on the couple as Lee ran his fingers through Ciara's thick hair. Their ears were graced with the sound of her laugh.

"So I'm guessing they had their conversation?" Grace surmised.

"Lee figured out what was going on that night pretty quickly," Lara told her. "And then he just got freaked out by the troll thing."

"Personally I think I was slightly more freaked out than him," Miranda commented. "Seeing as I was there."

"You girls all coming to the feast?" Fred asked them.

"I want to," Lara said. "I just don't know whether I'm allowed to yet."

"Madam Pompfrey is going to change your bandages in an hour," Grace informed her, being the one who was going to assist Madam Pompfrey. "Then you'll all be free to go."

"Thank God," Ciara exclaimed. "I don't know how you can spend so much time here; I hate it!"

"Maybe it's different when you're not injured," Trina suggested.

"Who cares?" Miranda put in. "We're all going to the feast, right?"

"Yeah!" they cheered.

But they were all distracted by Jesse choking on a bogey flavoured bean.

Hphphphphphphphphphphphphphp 

The Great Hall buzzed with excitement at the announcement of the house cup. Slytherin banners hung from the roof and walls much to the displeasure of every other house there.

Grace was sitting between Miranda and Ciara, impatiently waiting for the dinner to appear. Harry walked in through the Great doors at that moment, slipping in between Ron and Hermione. Grace lifted her hand in a salute-like wave. A hush had settled over the Hall as soon as Professor Dumbledore stepped up in front of the students.

"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said with cheer. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were... You have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts...

"Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, five hundred and thirty-two."

An instant uproar came from the Slytherin table. They were banging goblets and plates against the table, stomping their feet and screaming at the top of their lungs. The faces of the Gryffindors all showed their dismay.

"Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account."

Grace exchanged a look with Miranda.

"Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes... First - to Mr Ronald Weasley... "

One look at Ron showed his red face. It looked like he had been sunburnt then painted with red paint.

"... For the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Without even realizing it Grace started screaming. The girls around her joined in to create an ear-splitting note of triumph. Percy could be heard telling everyone that Ron was his brother while Fred and George wiped away fake tears at their little Ronniekins growing up. Once more it was silent.

"Second - to Miss Hermione Granger... For the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

"Good on Hermione!" Ciara cheered.

"We're one hundred points up!" Lara said.

"Third- to a group of third-year girls who believed in the people around them and fought for it. I award ten points each to Mses Hannah Guptan, Lara Costalosis, Trina Davenport, Ciara Archer, Miranda Heathridge and Grace Potter."

Shocked looks came across the faces of the girls around Grace who was feeling quite surprised herself. It was logical that they would get points if Ron and Hermione earned points they would too but she still felt an overwhelming sense of pride for herself and her friends.

"That's us!" Ciara exclaimed.

"Woah," Hannah said in awe. "We just got sixty points."

"Good job girls," Jesse congratulated.

The girls stopped talking and turned back to Dumbledore. The smiles were still etched on their faces.

"Fourth- to Mr Harry Potter..." said Dumbledore. A pin drop could have been heard in the Great Hall at that moment. "For pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."

If the Slytherins were loud before it was nothing to how the Gryffindors reacted to the latest point gain. Hannah was adding up the points in her head, her eyes widening when she realised how many points we had.

"We're equal with Slytherin," she whispered, still in shock.

The scream came from Grace's mouth before she could help it and she just kept screaming. She turned to catch Miranda's eyes which reflected the happiness inside Grace's own body. Her throat was getting hoarse, just as Dumbledore raised a hand for quiet. Slowly the Gryffindors died down.

"There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr Neville Longbottom."

It was like some sort of bomb had gone off at the Gryffindor table. Fred and George jumped onto their seats and cheered louder than anyone else. Hannah, Lara and Grace leapt out of their seats and ran to a pale Neville to envelope him in their hugs.

"Which means," Dumbledore called over the applause that had rained down on them, for even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebrating the downfall of Slytherin, "we need a little change of decoration."

He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green and silver hangings changed to scarlet and gold. The giant Slytherin serpent disappeared to be replaced by the courageous Gryffindor lion. Professor Snape was shaking hands with a gleeful Professor McGonagall. The smile on his face was so obviously fake it was laughable.

That night couldn't get any better. Grace ate her way through plate upon plate of delicious food. She knew that her exams results were coming but in their moment of victory she just couldn't care. All tha mattered was her house mates around her with equally large smiles.

Hphphphphphphphphphphphphphp 

"That year went pretty quickly huh?" Hannah remarked.

Right now the third- year Gryffindors were crammed into a train compartment, having immediately sought out one for themselves.

"Yeah," agreed Miranda. "Let's hope next year is boring and quiet."

"But what's the fun in that?" Fred argued. "Me and George need our fair share of detentions!"

"I'm pretty sure you two will be the ones disturbing the quiet to get detentions," Ciara smirked.

The door to the compartment slid open. It was barley heard over Fred and George's protests that they didn't actually get detention on purpose. Nate and Louis stood in the doorway. Nate looked annoyed at the loud boys whereas Louis was just amused.

"Hey Grace can I talk to you?" Nate requested. Louis slid past him to take the spot by Miranda's side.

"Yeah," Grace answered. "Be back soon guys."

"I haven't seen you in days," Nate complained once they were in the hallway with the door shut. "Have you been avoiding me or something?"

The accusation startled Grace who guiltily thought to herself that she hadn't actually thought about Nate in days.

"No, of course not," Grace assured him. "I was in the hospital wing the whole time looking after Harry, Lara and Ciara."

"And you couldn't come see me at all?" Nate questioned. "You could have at least sat with me at breakfast."

Now that was just plain rude.

"Seeing as I was the one who narrowly escaped Lord Voldemort," she scowled at his flinch, "I think you should be the one coming to see me."

"Yeah," Nate said after a pause. "Yeah, I'm sorry."

Grace accepted his apology with a peck to the cheek.

"So what are you doing this summer?"

"My family is heading to Japan," he hesitated ever so slightly before continuing. "I was wondering if you wanted to come with me."

"Sorry I have to stay with Harry," she declined.

"Can't you at least meet me in Diagon Alley?"

"I wish I could, Nate," she sighed. "But my uncle is really strict. He won't even let me out of the house after what happened with Harry's Hogwarts letter last summer."

"That's so stupid!" Nate thundered. Grace was glad he understood. "You know it's always about you and your family. "Did you ever stop to think maybe I wanted to see you in the holidays?"

That wasn't what Grace was expecting to hear.

"Sorry am I interrupting something?"

Oliver Wood stood there, looking awkward at finding them arguing. He was still extremely frustrated that he had to forfeit the last game against Slytherin because he was missing his two best players.

"I was just going to talk to Trina," he continued. "I haven't been able to spend time with her because of that You-Know-Who thing and I wanted a last chance to see her before the holidays."

"No, we were just finished," Grace replied, never taking her eyes off Nate's. Finally tearing them away she strode back into the compartment. "Trina, Oliver's here to see you."

Trina scrambled out of her seat and out the door in a rush.

"You know she left the door open," Miranda said. "It technically wouldn't be spying on her if we just happened to hear what they were saying."

The occupants of the compartment fell quiet, even Fred and George.

"I'm sorry you had to forfeit the game," Trina's voice floated through the door. A grunt could be heard from Oliver. "You can always try again next year."

"I have plans and strategies for next year. We have to wake up even earlier than we did this year. . ." Oliver's voice trailed off. "But that's not I wanted to talk to you about."

"What's up?"

"I just wanted to let you know you that I'll miss you in the holidays. Here." There was a pause in which paper could be heard being crumpled. "That's so that you can write. And I promise I'll reply."

Grace could just picture Trina melting.

"Naw Ollie, I'll miss you too. But I don't have an owl; how am I supposed to write?"

Another pause occurred as Oliver overcame the problem.

"Tell you what; I'll write first then you can use my owl, Seeker."

Grace tiptoed across the compartment and slid the carriage door closed.

"But it was just getting good!" Hannah protested.

"And you honestly think that Trina won't explode and tell us every little detail of their conversation?" Grace said.

"True," Hannah nodded.

"So what's everyone doing in the holidays?" Lara asked the group.

"Harry and I are stuck with my aunt and uncle the entire time," Grace moaned, banging her head on the headrest behind her.

"Well you could always-," Fred started.

"Come and stay at the Burrow," George finished.

"Ron's inviting Harry over anyway," Fred added.

At that moment Trina slid back into the compartment. A pink blush had crept into her cheeks to match the giggle coming from her smiling mouth.

All of the girls in the room immediately questioned her about Oliver had said while the boys just wanted to know about Oliver's Quidditch strategies.

Rolling her eyes, Grace thought that maybe the holidays wouldn't be so bad. She just hoped that she wouldn't have to spend too long at the Dursleys.

**A/N: So that's the last chapter! I hope you liked the whole story and that you will read the sequel. **

**Goodbye for now and thank you for reading. Sweethearts Together xx**


	25. Author's Note

**A/N: Hey everyone! Just posting to tell you that the sequel to Sister Who Lived is now up as well as a three-shot about Draco Malfoy. Both are on my author's page if you want to read them. Thanks and I hope you enjoy the sequel. **


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